NEED TO KNOW
- Neighbours premiered on March 18, 1985, on Seven.
- It was picked up by Channel 10 the following year to huge success.
- Neighbours was originally axed in June 2022.
- It was revived by Amazon FreeVee in 2023, but has now been cancelled again.
Fans are gearing up for the emotional farewell to Neighbours, but New Idea can reveal the iconic Aussie soap may not be gone forever.
The iconic Australian soap opera has been cancelled for a second time following a short-lived reboot in 2023, with the final episode airing on December 11, 2025.
But is there any chance of another last-minute rescue? Industry insiders say the future of Neighbours now lies in stand-alone mini-series and short-run dramas.
Rather than airing five nights a week, there are hopes it might follow a similar format to Network 10’s new project Imposter, which stars Neighbours icon Jackie Woodburne, Daniel MacPherson and Dannii Minogue.
“It looks, feels and moves exactly like Neighbours,” one insider tells New Idea.
“Same pacing, same emotional beats, same type of storytelling. Just in a shorter, sharper format.”
Behind the scenes, many of the writers, producers and crew who built Neighbours are now working on these new limited-run dramas, and insiders say it’s no coincidence.
“Imposter is essentially a proof of concept,” a source reveals. “It shows how Neighbours can survive without being a five-nights-a-week soap.”
Eagle-eyed fans have already noticed the familiar visual DNA between the new shows, featuring Victorian neighbourhoods, suburban streets, tight-knit communities and slow-burn secrets.
Imposter is an Australian-UK drama that focuses on a seaside hotel in coastal Victoria, which is at the centre of a family dispute.
“It’s Neighbours without saying Neighbours,” the source explains.
And once again, the UK could be the key to saving the show again, after Amazon FreeVee resurrected Neighbours following its 2023 cancellation.
“If Imposter performs well internationally, particularly in the UK, that opens the door for shared funding between British broadcasters and Network Ten,” the insider says.
“That model could sustain multiple short Neighbours-style series each year.”
Rather than one endless soap, the future would look more like several tightly produced mini-Neighbours dramas, which would air annually.
And there’s a very deliberate reason that Jackie, best known for playing Susan Kennedy on Neighbours, has been selected as the face of this new chapter.
“She is the heart and soul of Neighbours,” the insider explains. “Executives knew that if audiences were going to trust this new format, they needed someone instantly familiar and emotionally grounding.”
Jackie’s presence is seen as a direct bridge between the old Ramsay Street era and whatever Neighbours becomes next.
As for fans still holding out hope of seeing Dr Karl Kennedy and Susan Kennedy return, all is not lost.
The possibility of Alan Fletcher and Jackie reuniting on screen has not been ruled out, but insiders warn it would never look the same.
“Most of the original sets are gone,” a source confirms. “They’ve been dismantled and destroyed. If Karl and Susan return, it will be in a short, contained mini-series. Very much in the Imposter style.”
With so many former Neighbours stars still living in Australia and eager to work, these mini-series could offer a lifeline.
“There’s a huge pool of talent who still want to tell stories,” the insider says. “This format lets them do that. Without the crushing production demands of a daily soap.”
And for heartbroken fans, this might be the best possible ending yet.
