Freevee, the advertising-supported arm of Amazon Prime Video, is to revive Australian soap Neighbours.
The show ended its 40-year run in July after the UK’s Channel 5 withdrew its funding. A final episode saw cameos from some of the programmes previous stars that included Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan and Margot Robbie and Guy Pearce.
Previous cast members Stefan Dennis, Alan Fletcher, Ryan Moloney, and Jackie Woodburne have agreed to return to the fictional Ramsey Street and reprise their roles.
The rebooted series will premiere exclusively on Amazon Freevee in the UK and United States. The agreement with producers Freemantle also includes the streaming rights to several thousand episodes from previous seasons.
The series will also stream on Prime Video in Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. Production is set to commence in early 2023 with a world premiere slated for the second half of the year.
“Neighbours has captivated its audience for nearly 40 years, building a dedicated and loyal following for the lives and stories of the characters on Ramsay Street,” said Lauren Anderson, head of AVOD original content and programming, Amazon Studios. “With the power of streaming, we’re able to offer a catalogue of thousands of Neighbours episodes for new audiences to discover this legendary series and current fans to relive their favorite moments.”
“Neighbours is a unique series with a powerful connection with its fans across the world. We cherish the show and all those who have been part of its incredible story over many decades, so we are thrilled that we have found a new home with Amazon Freevee.” said Jennifer Mullin, Group CEO, Fremantle. “This partnership with Amazon Freevee marks an exciting new chapter, and we look forward to collaborating with them, along with our long-term and valued partner in Australia, Network 10.”
The Australian show has screened in multiple countries during its 40 year-reign, including the UK, airing on both BBC One and, most recently, Channel 5, since its launch in 1985.
Australia’s Network 10, the home of Neighbours for 3 years, will retain first-run rights in Australia for the new series.
