Neighbours has been saved and is all set to make a grand return with a brand-new series on Amazon next year.
Well that didn’t take long, did it?
Fans were left devastated after the iconic Australian soap – which is famously set on the cul-de-sac Ramsay Street in the fictional Melbourne suburb of Erinsborough, and first appeared on UK television screens all the way back in 1986 – officially ended back in July after production was ceased following 37 years.
Almost 9,000 episodes of the beloved show were aired over nearly four decades, but the show was controversially axed by Channel 5 earlier this year after funding was pulled.
The final episode of the soap – or so we all thought – aired on 28 July 2022.
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In what was a highly-publicised and headline-grabbing moment, the final Neighbours episode featured guest appearances from Kylie Minogue, Guy Pearce, Jason Donovan, and Margot Robbie – who all famously kick-started their careers by starring in the show over the years.
#Neighbours will be available on @AmazonFreevee in the UK and US and will return to @channel10au in Australia. We can’t thank you all enough for your love and support and are so excited for this new adventure! 🧡
Over 4.2 million people tuned into the final episode of the show, with viewers taking to social media in their thousands to share their heartbreak at the end of an era.
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But now, less than four months after we all thought it was gone for good, the Australian soap has found a new home on Amazon’s AVOD service Freevee and will be back with a new series – with the show to begin shooting down under in 2023, and air in the second half of next year.
Premiering exclusively for free on Amazon Freevee in the UK and US – which will also include streaming rights to thousands of episodes from the previous seasons, all available to watch prior to the new series’ premiere – the new series is set to be a continuation of where it left off after the finale, and will still follow the lives, loves, and challenges of the residents on Ramsay Street.
Stefan Dennis, Alan Fletcher, Ryan Moloney, and Jackie Woodburne have all been confirmed to make a return to reprise their leading roles.
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“Neighbours has captivated its audience for nearly 40 years,” explained Lauren Anderson – head of AVOD original content and programming for Amazon Studios.
“It built a dedicated and loyal following for the lives and stories of the characters on Ramsay Street.
“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 favourite moments [and] we look forward to immersing the audience in new Ramsay Street experiences when we relaunch the show next year for Amazon Freevee and Prime Video customers.”
Featured Image – Channel 5
TV & Showbiz
Elbow get behind campaign to save Jodrell Bank from closure
Danny Jones
Manc band Elbow are among the latest to get behind the campaign to save Jodrell Bank Observatory from closing permanently.
The Greater Manchester natives famously played a sold-out gig at the important scientific and cultural landmark for a very special live album recording well over a decade ago, and know all too well the site’s national and, indeed, global heritage.
Choosing the Observatory and the rare chance to perform a show in the shadow of the world-renowned James Lovell Telescope, it probably remains one of their most significant standalone UK date ever.
With that in mind, the local lads have been left just as worried by the news of its impending closure as everyone else, and have therefore issued a fresh appeal to help keep it open.
Posting a timely statement on social media, the group wrote: “Jodrell Bank has long been close to elbow’s heart. In 2012, the band played beneath the Lovell Telescope for one of the most memorable shows in our history.
“The recent news that funding for the e-MERLIN radio telescope network is set to end in 2028 puts the future of the scientific work at Jodrell Bank under serious threat. It is a remarkable place, with an extraordinary history, and one that continues to play an important role in science, culture and education.”
In addition to reliving clips and images from the historic live set all the years later, they also pointed people towards their ‘elbow – Live at Jodrell Bank‘ album documentary, which has now been made available online for the very first time as part of wider efforts to raise awareness around the cause.
Directing people to key online resources shared by the institution and astrophysics centre itself following their unfortunate update late last month, the push to not only find the funding but sustain support for the facility continues to ramp up throughout the world of science, arts and industry.
For anyone who somehow missed the news – 2028 being the current deadline handed down as per budget cuts across the sector – concerned parties here in the North West and all over the country have since started petitioning to save Jodrell Bank Observatory from shutting down for good.
In addition to being described as a “huge blow” to the field by the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS), some have even gone so far as to describe the decision as a form of “vandalism” when it comes to research and British culture as a whole.
Having also served as the host venue for the annual bluedot Festival since 2016, the multi-genre science and arts celebration could soon be forced to find a new home.
The battle is far from over yet, and the community has time to rescue Jodrell Bank Observatory from its fate, but it will take lots of money and more notable public figures to make it happen.
Once again, you can do your bit by signing the petition mentioned above right HERE.
Featured Images — Emma Farrer (via Wikimedia Commons)/The Manc Group
TV & Showbiz
New BBC series based on bestselling book to film in Manchester with big-name actors
Emily Sergeant
A new BBC series based on a bestselling book is set to begin filming in Manchester.
The new series, titled You Are Here, is described as being an ‘honest, witty, and tender’ love story based on David Nicholls’ critically acclaimed novel of the same name – with the author having also written the eight-part adaptation set to be directed Lenny Abrahamson, who is best known for BBC‘s cult-classic miniseries Normal People, and the Oscar-nominated Room (2015).
Set along the Coast to Coast walking trail from the Lake District to Robin Hood’s Bay in North Yorkshire, You Are Here tells the story of Marnie and Michael.
When a mutual friend throws them together, Marnie and Michael unexpectedly find themselves setting off on an epic walk.
Against the odds, they end up on the brink of a relationship that neither was looking for, but might be exactly what they both need.
Treading the tricky path from loneliness to love, Marnie and Michael go coast-to-coast across the stunning English countryside, navigating an undeniable attraction along the way that is just as exhilarating as it is terrifying.
📚 Claire Foy and Matthew Macfadyen lead the cast of You Are Here, adapted from David Nicholls' best-selling novel
Producers say the series is about finding a connection when you least expect it and overcoming the obstacles of midlife.
Set to be filmed across Manchester and the Lake District, it has been announced that respected actors Claire Foy and Matthew Macfadyen will take on the lead roles of Marnie and Michael.
“I’m so delighted to be working on You Are Here with Element, the BBC, Starz, and Lenny, whose work I’ve admired for many years,” commented David Nicholls.
“And Matthew and Claire are both just dream casting, wonderful in comedy and drama, so detailed and thoughtful and sympathetic.
“The intention with the novel was to write a close-up study of a relationship, but set against this magnificent landscape, and that’s our ambition here too – to make something both intimate and epic, funny and dramatic, a romantic comedy with real emotion.
“We can’t wait to bring Marnie and Michael’s journey to the screen.”
Featured Image – Juankr and Josh Wool (via BBC Press Office)
Emily Sergeant -
17th November 2022 
