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“Returning home”: Seven swoops on Neighbours in new deal

Updated: Seven boss has thrown Neighbours a lifeline in its hour of need -37 years after it first debuted on the network.

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Neighbours has been thrown a lifeline, heading back to Channel Seven, 37 years after it first premiered on the network.

In a stunning new deal, Seven has swooped on the iconic soap to begin a new chapter for the Ramsay Street serial.

It was Seven which first debuted the series in 1985 before 10 picked up the series in 1986, but it will return to 7Plus in a bold streaming investment in local drama.

“Everybody needs good Neighbours,” said CEO James Warburton, “and the much-loved drama has no better friend than 7Plus.

“We are proud to welcome the show back home to the network where it all began.

“Fans will continue to see the loves and lives of Toadie, Dr. Karl & Susan, Paul Robinson and everybody in Erinsborough, in coming months. Together with Home & Away Seven is now home to a legacy of 70 years of iconic Australian drama.”

Seven’s bold move comes after Channel 5 signalled the show would cease broadcasting, and 10 advised it could not continue without a British partner.

James Warburton struck a deal with Fremantle to fully fund the series by absorbing costs as part of Home & Away‘s production output -but it will result in startling new changes across the soapie universe.

Seven’s Chief Content Officer of Entertainment Angus Ross said Erinsborough will join the fictional ‘Yabbie Creek’ as a new surfside town to Summer Bay, opening up both to crossover storylines.

“It will be soapie heaven for drama fans,” he teased.

“I can’t give too much away but you can expect to see Harold Bishop (Ian Smith) side by flamin’ side on screen with Alf Stewart (Ray Meagher) for the very first time, Irene (Lynne McGranger) working at Lassiters and Toadie (Ryan Moloney) in the Summer Bay surf shop.

“There’s no end to the possibilities of storylines, romances, and TV weddings.

“I can also reveal former Home & Away star Dannii Minogue will make her Neighbours debut as a long-lost Robinson relative, continuing soapie royalty tradition.”

A key piece of Seven’s business plan is to offer British fans a special 7Plus “Perfect Blend” streaming subscription. To get around the geo-blocking fans will need to recite the lyrics to Especially For You and have a River Boys “Blood & Sand” tattoo emblazoned across their chest.

7Plus is set to debut the new Neighbours era on August 1st -exactly 4 months after April 1st.

“It’s going to be bigger than Bouncer’s dream!” Ross added.

Updated: Yup, annual April Fool’s Day post.

136 Responses

  1. I adore your April Fool’s gags David. This one is very timely but my all time fave was Lisa Wilkinson hosting Big Brother. I legit thought that was true.

    Irene working at Lassiter’s made me giggle.

  3. Nice, David. Always look forward to the April Fools post after I got fooled by the Big Brother one years ago. This one hurts a bit though as I would love for Neighbours to continue!

    A crossover special would have been interesting between Neighbours and Home & Away. Has there ever been a time when a crossover has happened between shows on different networks?

  6. Please don’t let this be an April fools joke David! I love neighbours to death and if this isn’t true I’ll cry. I hope channel 7 do show neighbours but this seems too good to be true. I’ve loved your “April fools” articles in the past but this one would crush my spirit

  7. Admittedly, I first thought it might be true. But as soon as I saw 7Plus streaming – I thought nah and the annual April Fools Day Joke clicked.
    Always creative, David.

  9. one thing it seems leads to another…can’t have 2 7pm soaps apparently…home and away just been announced…its now going to 10…as the world churns…quite a day

  10. Hahaha, good Apeil Fool David.

    To this very day out of spite, HSV7 has never aired the final episode in the 1985 season.

    Would Seven ever contenplate ever running the complete 1985 series on Seven + ?

  11. Your best one yet, David. I’m nobody’s fool but you got me good on his one as I was really getting into, until….(and I don’t watch either show) 🙂 it was the Dannii reference that made me twig.

  15. Oh no. I can a lot of angry comments from Neighbours fans appearing here shortly.

    Hard to do April Fools Jokes. Cant win then all, unfortunately.

  19. Happy April Fools’ Day to you, too

    I was hoping you’d share some leaks from the final episode:

    * Paul has a fever dream, in which he sees multiple versions of all of the recast characters from over the years (with a member of Darius Perkins’ family filling in for him)

    * Harold returns to Ramsay Street, taking refuge in the Kennedys’ house. In response to Ian Smith’s claim that being typecast as Harold meant that he could never play a murdering paedophile, A cop knocks on the door pursuing Harold, on the run from his murderous spree. Karl is accused of harbouring a fugitive, but explains that he was just looking after his Erinsborough alumni… “because that’s when good neighbours become good friends” (and fade out)

    * After foiling Paul’s attempt to bulldoze Ramsay Street (hearkening back to a storyline from ~1986), the residents gather for a street carnival, which many former cast members attend. In the emotional final shot, Barry Crocker stands on a soap box…

  20. Alright this is a good one but I thought an even better one may have been to say all three networks were going to ‘work harmoniously’ to create a show or series of some sort they would all broadcast. After the Telethon a few weeks ago and all. Maybe an idea for next year…

  24. This is a terrible April fools joke to play on the fans. Also think about all the actors and people involved in the show that are going to lose their jobs.

    April (Chloe) from Neighbours has shared this article is an April fools joke.

    This article is not funny and should be taken down.

    Dreadful and terrible joke.

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