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Amazon came to 10 right after the Neighbours finale

10 and Amazon execs reveal how the deal to revive Neighbours was done.

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Amazon expressed interest in picking up Neighbours almost immediately after its very sentimental finale screened last year on 10 and Channel Five (UK).

Speaking recently at Screen Forever, Daniel Monaghan, Senior Vice President, Content & Programming, Paramount ANZ said, “We were always openly sad when Neighbours came to a close last year. We’d partnered with Channel Five for such a long time but we weren’t able to find a partner to continue the show, which we were devastated about until that wonderful day last year -not too long after after the epic finale went to air- we found out that Amazon Freevee was interested.

“It’s a really good partnership. I think Freevee will do a great job around the rest of the world and we’ll have that Australian premiere on 10 and then it will play out on 10Play and (Prime Video) as well, after a period of time.”

The deal between three broadcasters was put together by Fremantle CEO Greg Woods.

Tyler Bern, Head of Content, Prime Video Australia, NZ, Canada explained, “Essentially there’s three commissioners, really. It’s Channel 10, Prime Video and Freevee. So it’s a unique rights set. It’s a really interesting field that we’re able to put together because there’s the obvious partnership between Channel 10 and Prime Video in Australia.

“Channel 10 has the premiere, and episodes are showing up on Prime Video seven days later. Freevee has the premiere in the UK. If you aren’t familiar with Freevee, it’s a sister service to Prime Video. It’s our ad-supported service. So it’s completely different content and there’s a different team within Amazon that is commissioning originals and licensing content for Freevee.

“Freevee in the UK wanted Neighbours because it rates like a million people per episode… it’s insane. And then Prime Video has Neighbours in Canada, South Africa, Ireland and New Zealand. Neighbours will be on Freevee in the US, UK, Germany and Austria.”

Filming is currently underway in Melbourne with cast including Stefan Dennis, Jackie Woodburne, Alan Fletcher, Ryan Moloney, Annie Jones, Rebekah Elmaloglou, Georgie Stone, Tim Kano, Lucinda Cowden -and guest Mischa Barton (pictured).

“We can all stake a claim to casting Mischa, I’m going to claim it, Tyler can claim it, but it was neither of us,” Monaghan joked.

“But it’s given us a little bit of noise. We’ve been announcing the cast quite slowly about who is returning and what new faces we have.

“Look out for it later in the year.”

Amended.

11 Responses

  2. Is there any clarification on whether it will drop on 10 Play same day, like it did pre-cancellation? Or will 10 Play get it a week later when Prime Video does as well?

  3. Great Story as usual David but I and a couple of users on Media spy are seeing some Spelling mistakes on this article like the said after twice and instead of said you put sad in the article.

    So my question is are you rushing to get stories online? because if it is I would suggest looking the article twice before you publish it online

    I’m just saying this reply in a nice way, Thanks.

    1. I’m probably guilty of over-delivering, so apologies for typos. There will always be limitations as a free and solo site, but your point is noted and hopefully I can strike an improved balance.

  4. I’ve had my doubts about this ever since the revival was announced. For something that wrapped up so poetically, with such an all-stops-pulled-out finale, with storylines that will be impossible to continue (good luck getting Guy Pearce to be Jane’s love interest in a continuing capacity), I don’t see how it can be picked up without backpedalling and/or ignoring certain plot points.

    Is it going to be on par with 10’s disastrous attempt at continuing ‘A Country Practice’ in a Wandin Valley that mysteriously lost many key residents?

    Will it be some kind of standalone show that is related to the original series but somehow occupies its own separate universe (like the movie spin-offs of TV series such as ‘Number 96’ and ‘Police Rescue’)?

    So many questions.

    1. It’s a soap, they can explain away anything lol. Nobody expects Guy Pearce to be there, that storyline can be whacked on the head and gone in one sentence and everything moves on. I love Jane, she can live on just fine without Guy. I really hope Nicolette is back though. I think your worries are unwarranted. There are so many returning characters it seems to me that old storylines can easily carry on with the new as has always been the case. Under these strange circumstances I really believe the Neighbours fans will be forgiving of any unevenness at first or of things going in a different direction to the finale if it means we get our show back! Myself included. 🙂 Neighbours has always looked to it’s past to help dictate its future so I think we can expect any number of past actors to reprise their roles going forward which will be exciting to see.

  5. Great to see Amazon using its streaming platforms to expand Neighbours’ reach across the globe. It should provide a big boost to Freevee in the UK considering the audiance it was bringing to Channel 5.

  6. I didn’t even notice Mischa Barton in the photo until I read “(pictured)” in the article.

    I thought that was Natalie Bassingthwaighte!

    Mischa to play Izzy and Max’s long-lost half-sister, perhaps?

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