Neighbours veteran and well-known Australian actor, Rob Mills, is pleading with the Australian government to find a way to keep producing the iconic soapie.
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It appears the show is likely to be winding down after its biggest investor, UK broadcaster Channel 5, revealed they would not be renewing their contract and continuing to support the show.
Speaking to A Current Affair, Rob Mills suggested the show could be saved with an injection of support from the Australian government.
“We’re looking at thousands of jobs in the arts that have been created through something like Neighbours. I think the government could possibly step in. Screen Victoria could also possibly step in,” he told the news program.
“Let’s hope when the election comes around, we get a Prime Minister who works towards funding the arts” he added.
“We always talk about the actors that have come through on Neighbours, but it’s the writers that have come through as well, the directors, the crew,” Rob continued.
“I feel like that’s the sad thing that will be lost, is the training ground, so let’s hope that doesn’t happen.”
Rob played teacher Finn Kelly on Neighbours from 2017 to 2021, but he’s just one of hundreds of Australian actors who came up through the soap.
And he’s not the only one asking for the show to be saved, with Jackie Woodburne, who has played Susan Kennedy for 27 years, hoping the show can continue.
“It’s been a rollercoaster absolutely … the last 24 hours or 36 hours as you can imagine,” she told the panel during an appearance on The Project.
“It’s kind of a lot of information to try and process, but I still feel a bit in shock, a bit overwhelmed,” she admitted.
Jackie also confirmed she had seen her fellow castmates in a meeting with producers.
“I have to say the feeling was one of … it was just – it was quite lovely,” she explained.
“Everybody was so sad, we were all crying, we were all very emotional about it all, but we’re all so determined to bring this show home as best we can.”
There are now rumours abounding that one of the actors who launched their career off Neighbours will be returning for its imminent final episode.
In the show’s early days, it launched the careers of Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan, especially after their wedding episode.
It was also the first gig for actors like Margot Robbie, Liam Hemsworth, Holly Valance, Delta Goodrem, Natalie Imbruglia and even Russell Crowe.
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