Iconic Soap ‘Neighbours’ Axed Again As Streaming Giant Amazon Drops Renewal

Kylie Minogue Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images

Neighbours, the long-running Australian soap opera, will go off air by December 2025 after Amazon chose not to renew its deal with production company Fremantle Australia.

The show’s social media account confirmed the news on Feb. 21, leaving many fans disappointed.

“We are sad to announce that Neighbours will be resting from December 2025,” the post read.

Despite the cancellation, the show’s 40th-anniversary season will continue airing four times a week on Prime Video and Channel Ten until the end of the year.

A Legacy of Four Decades

Filmed in Melbourne, Neighbours first aired in Australia in 1985 before gaining international fame on the BBC a year later.

The show became known for its diverse characters and storylines, tackling modern issues such as the first same-sex marriage on Australian TV.

However, Neighbours also faced controversy, including recent racism allegations from actors, prompting Fremantle Media to promise a review.

Producers Reflect on the Show’s Impact

Jason Herbison, Neighbours’ Executive Producer, expressed his pride in the show’s achievements, both in Australia and around the world.

“Audiences all around the world have loved and embraced Neighbours for four decades and we are very proud of the huge success over the last two years, including often appearing as one of the Top 10 titles in the UK and the show’s first-ever Daytime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Daytime Series in 2024,” Herbison said.

He also thanked Amazon MGM Studios for helping introduce the show to new audiences globally.

“We value how much the fans love Neighbours and we believe there are more stories of the residents of Ramsay Street to tell in the future,” he added.

Amazon MGM Studios also acknowledged the show’s cultural impact. “Forty years is an incredible milestone,” said a spokesperson told BBC World.

The Show’s Brief Revival and Final Curtain Call

The news of Neighbours’ cancellation comes after a challenging period for the show, including the announcement of actor Ian Smith’s departure following his terminal cancer diagnosis.

Originally cancelled by Network 10 in 2022, Neighbours was revived after Amazon and Fremantle Australia reached a deal to bring the series back on Prime Video.

Despite its brief resurgence and the return of stars like Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan, Fremantle confirmed that production would cease, with the final episode set to air by the end of the year.

Amazon reportedly informed Fremantle that its venture into soap operas had not succeeded, and it would be withdrawing its funding.