Australian Soap ‘Neighbours’ Canceled Again After Amazon Backs Out

Martin Holmes February 21, 2025, 7:56 am

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Alan Fletcher, Annie Jones, and Ian Smith in 'Neighbours' on Freevee — Ray Messner/Amazon Freevee

Fans have to say goodbye to Ramsay Street once again, and this time, it could be for good, as the long-running Australian soap opera Neighbours has been axed for a second time.

The announcement came on Thursday (February 20), just two years since Amazon saved the series after it was dropped by the Aussie channel Network 10. Neighbours was originally canceled in 2022 after 37 seasons, only for Amazon to revive it months later on its streaming service Freevee.

“We are sad to announce that Neighbours will be resting from December 2025,” the official Neighbours X account shared on Thursday. “New episodes from the 40th anniversary season will continue to air on Prime Video and Ten four times a week until the end of the year, with all the big soapie twists and turns that our viewers love.”

The final episode is scheduled to air in December, bringing an end to the iconic show’s 40-year run. Throughout the years, Neighbours has launched the careers of Kylie Minogue, Chris Hemsworth, Margot Robbie, Guy Pearce, Russell Crowe, Delta Goodrem, and more.

We are sad to announce that Neighbours will be resting from December 2025. New episodes from the 40th anniversary season will continue to air on Prime Video and Ten four times a week until the end of the year, with all the big soapie twists and turns that our viewers love. pic.twitter.com/Jo7Bc6Wovl

— Neighbours (@neighbours) February 21, 2025

Speaking on the cancelation, the show’s executive producer Jason Herbison talked up Neighbours’ success on Amazon, including its consistent Top 10 rankings in the U.K. and its 2024 Daytime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Daytime Series.

“Audiences all around the world have loved and embraced Neighbours for four decades,” Herbison said in a statement before teasing hopes for the show to continue elsewhere. “We believe there are more stories of the residents of Ramsay Street to tell in the future.”

“As this chapter closes, we appreciate and thank Amazon MGM Studios for all that they have done for Neighbours – bringing this iconic and much-loved series to new audiences globally,” he continued.

Neighbours, which originally premiered on March 18, 1985, follows the lives, loves, and challenges of the residents on Ramsay Street in Erinsborough, Australia, a fictional suburb of Melbourne.

There was a mixed reaction from fans following the news of the cancelation, with some obviously devastated and others admitting it might be time to let the show go.

“If even a huge company like Amazon can’t make it pay then I think the chance of finding another broadcaster are slim to zero. It’s over,” wrote one X user.

“It should’ve been in other hands. Other than Jason Herbison. A hard watch this. Melanie was an irritant. Nell. Well I’ll be nice and leave it there. It just wasn’t must-see. Unless you wanted something to lull you to sleep,” said another.

Another added, “It just wasn’t as good , main characters gone , change in production style , weak story lines meant I only watched it for a month before giving up.”

Others, however, were more frustrated, with one fan writing, “Every day it’s no.1 most watched on Amazon, so it seems pretty bizarre to me to cancel it. Personally I think it’s been consistently better since the reboot. It must be awful for the actors the endless uncertainty.”

“This isn’t right! It’s constantly amongst the top shows watched on Amazon in the UK. Don’t give up. You didn’t before. Strip the show back to basics, how it used to be, and find another network. Neighbours is loved all over the world,” said another.

“I don’t understand how a programme that is often number 1 on the prime chart and never out of the top 10 has been dumped… again ?!” another added.

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One fan wrote, “I just want to say I’m so gutted to hear this. I love the show, have loved the latest era and really enjoyed the 40th tour. My heart goes out to the other fans, the actors and the people behind the scenes. This show is special – it has always been the perfect blend.”

“Not again,I was gutted last time and I mean really upset,this is the only programme I really watch on tv and have done for over 30years,going to get my heart broke again,” added another.

“This is very sad to hear. My family and I watch neighbours every day and have done since it began all them years ago. It’s been fantastic since it came back again on freevee/amazon. Really really hope it can be saved. Will be truly heartbreaking to lose neighbours,” one commenter said.

“OMG!! Nooooo don’t do this again I’ve loved watching neighbours. Please continue making episodes into 2026 and beyond. Please don’t be the ending of neighbours again,” wrote another.

What do you think of the Neighbours cancelation news? Will you be sad to see it go? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.