Channel 5 devastated fans when it confirmed that Neighbours was coming to an end after 37 years.
The programme has been a staple of Australian and British TV for decades but its time on Ramsay Street will end later this year.
To mark the historic finale, some A-list celebrities are making a return to the soap that got them started.
Some of the names that had their big break on the show include Margot Robbie, Liam Hemsworth, Russell Crowe and Jesse Spencer.
There are still a few short weeks of drama ahead for Ramsay Street but all its major storylines are now wrapping up for the last time.
The final episode, or more accurately, episodes, will be an extra special treat for fans, bringing to an end nearly 40 years of iconic soap TV history.
Why is Neighbours ending?
After Channel 5 made the decision to stop funding the show, producers Network 10 and Fremantle were unable to find alternative funding.
A spokesperson for Fremantle confirmed the news, saying: “It is with sadness that after nearly 37 years and almost 9,000 episodes broadcast, we are confirming that Neighbours will cease production in June.
“Following the loss of a key broadcast partner in the UK, and despite a search for alternative funding, we currently have no option but to rest the show.”
Channel 5 first announced it would stop airing the show in February, 2022, despite the fact it was still drawing in nearly 1.2 million viewers a day in the UK.
However, the network confirmed it had made the decision as it wanted to redirect funding to new UK dramas.
When is Neighbours ending?
After an unbelievable 8,903 episodes, Channel 5 confirmed that the final will air this month.
Fans will be able to watch the penultimate episodes in the usual time slots of 1:45pm and 6pm on Friday July 29.
This will then be followed by the bittersweet finale, which will air as a double episode special at 9pm the same evening.
It will also be available on My5 online and on catch-up for anyone who misses the first broadcast.
Which A-list stars are returning for the Neighbours final?
(Image: ST/LFI)
In June 2022, it was confirmed that Hollywood star Guy Pearce would be making his return to Ramsey Street for the final episode.
Filming is already complete, with Guy telling the Metro: “It is very exciting and surreal at the same time being back on set again, however it feels like coming home.
“It’s where it all started for me professionally. I’ve been asked to come back on occasions over the years and wondered if it was the right thing to do, but once I knew the show was finishing, I knew I had to do it.
“While I’ve caught up with many of the cast I worked with on the show over the years, there is nothing like being here all together again.”
He isn’t alone, as Kylie Minogue is also heading back to the soap that started it all.
She admitted that she felt pressured into returning, as she has already shot her scenes for the last episode.
During an appearance on Late Night With Seth Meyers, the singer explained: “When I was 19, I finished school, signed up for the dole, cause I thought, ‘I’m never going to get a job’, but I got this role on Neighbours.
“They’re finishing the show, and there was quite a bit of pressure for me to come back, so I shot my scenes.”
During one of the show’s most famous episodes, Kylie’s Charlene married Jason Donovan’s Scott, with the latter also making a return.
The Neighbours official Twitter account shared back in March: “Scott and Charlene are the ultimate Neighbours couple and it would not feel right to end the show without them.
“We are thrilled that Jason and Kylie have come home to play a very special part in our series finale…”
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
