Neighbours promoted to an all-year-round soap after Channel 5 signs new deal
Digital Spy article:
Neighbours promoted to an all-year-round soap after Channel 5 signs new deal
Get ready for more Ramsay Street than ever before.
Neighbours has been promoted to an all-year round soap, thanks to a brand new deal with FremantleMedia.
The Aussie soap is going to be airing for 52 weeks of the year moving forwards, meaning that it will be on over the Christmas period for the first time ever from 2018.
Channel 5 has announced a new multi-year deal with FremantleMedia today (October 9), which involves increasing the number of episodes produced annually.
The broadcaster and production company have also agreed to collaborate on a number of annual special episodes airing in prime time, with the first being earmarked for early 2018.
Channel 5's acquisition boss Katie Keenan said: "I'm delighted Neighbours will continue to air across the Channel 5 portfolio. Neighbours is an important part of our schedule and is held in great affection by British viewers.
"For more than three decades, Neighbours has been an unmissable daily drama and although Ramsay Street is on the other side of the world, the stories we tell have struck a chord in the hearts of the UK audience."
Neighbours' executive producer Jason Herbision, added: "I'm excited to keep delivering our worldwide viewers with their daily fix of Ramsay Street. We are proud that our show, set in the Aussie suburbs, has touched the lives of viewers the world over.
"Just as our characters span generations, so do the people that watch Neighbours – we value our global audiences and are delighted to stay on this journey together. Come the end of 2018, we will also make history by becoming the first Australian drama series to screen all year round. The best is yet to come!"
Neighbours currently airs 240 episodes a year, but that is now being increased to 258 –with the extra specials in addition.
The extended episode order means that Neighbours will become the first Aussie drama series to run all year-round and throughout the winter holiday period, when it's usually taken off air.
Neighbours airs weekdays on Channel 5
...and radiotimes.com article:
Neighbours: Channel 5 announces new deal to continue UK broadcast
Australian soap's future is assured - with more episodes being broadcast per year from 2018
http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2017-...-uk-broadcast/
