Neighbours to return in 2023 following Amazon Freevee reprieve

Neighbours is set to make a shock return next year on Amazon Freevee.

Episodes will premiere exclusively for free on the service in the UK and US, and thousands of old episodes will also be available to stream.

Prime Video will also stream the series in Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. Network 10 will retain first-run rights in Australia.

Stefan Dennis (Paul Robinson), Alan Fletcher (Karl Kennedy), Jackie Woodburne (Susan Kennedy) and Ryan Moloney (Toadie Rebecchi) will all reprise their lead roles, while Jason Herbison will return as executive producer.

The show will go back into production early next year, and is expected to premiere in the second half of 2023.

Lauren Anderson, head of AVOD original content and programming for Amazon Studios, said in a statement:

“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.

“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.

“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.”

In July, the last episode of the Australian soap, which aired for 37 years, aired on Channel 5. The broadcaster ditched the programme to free up money for its drama budget.

A petition against the show’s cancellation garnered over 70,000 signatures.

While fans were sad to see the show end, they were delighted with its emotional finale, which featured the return of many old characters.