In a plot twist that could have come straight from the show itself, Neighborsthe iconic Australian soap that looked forever after 37 years and nearly 9,000 episodes is about to make a dramatic return.
Amazon Freevee and the show’s producer Fremantle have revealed that a new season of the beloved series has begun – which has helped launch the careers of a host of stars, including Margaret RobbieRussell Crowe and Guy Pearce — will begin shooting in Australia next year, continuing the long-running drama involving the residents of Ramsay Street in the fictional Melbourne suburb of Erinsborough. Stefan Dennis, Alan Fletcher, Ryan Moloney and Jackie Woodburne will return to reprise their lead roles.
The revived series will premiere exclusively for free on Amazon Freevee in the UK and US and includes streaming rights to thousands of episodes from previous seasons, available ahead of the new season premiere. The series is also streaming on Prime Video in Australia, New Zealand and Canada.
While it’s not quite the classic 11th-hour save fans may have been hoping for, the news comes four months after what was thought Neighbors’ last episode, with show bosses revealed in March it would come to an end after main UK broadcasting partner, Channel 5, pulled out and attempts to find alternative financing proved fruitless. The July Finals, which welcomed some of the most famous alumni – notably Kylie Minogueas well as Pearce and Robbie (via video message) — was watched by almost 1.4 million viewers in Australia and just over 4 million viewers in the UK
“Neighbors has captivated its audiences for nearly 40 years, building a dedicated and loyal following for the lives and stories of the Ramsay Street characters,” said Lauren Anderson, head of AVOD original content and programming at Amazon Studios. “With the power of streaming, we can offer a catalog of thousands Neighbors episodes for new audiences to discover this legendary series and current fans to relive their favorite moments. We look forward to immersing audiences in new Ramsay Street experiences when we relaunch the show for Amazon Freevee and Prime Video customers next year.”
Australia’s Network 10, home of Neighbors for 36 years and part of Paramount Global, retains first-run rights in Australia for the new series.
“Neighbors is a unique series with a powerful bond with its fans around the world. We cherish the show and all those who have been part of its incredible story over many decades, so we’re thrilled to have found a new home with Amazon Freevee. Thanks to the innovative Amazon Freevee platform, many classic episodes will be available to fans, and Neighbors will go back into full production in Australia early next year and provide our fans with new episodes,” said Jennifer Mullin, global CEO of Fremantle. “This partnership with Amazon Freevee marks an exciting new chapter and we look forward to working with them, along with our valued long-term partner in Australia, Network 10.”
Neighbors is produced by Fremantle. Jason Herbison, Neighbors‘ executive producer since 2013, will maintain his position in the new chapter of Neighborswith Andrew Thompson returning as producer.