Long-running drama Neighbours will begin filming at Melbourne’s Nunawading studios next month ahead of a return to screens in spring.
The announcement that production would begin on April 17 was made during the final show of Neighbours – The Celebration Tour at the London Palladium, featuring returning stars Alan Fletcher, Jackie Woodburne, Stefan Dennis, Ryan Moloney, Annie Jones, and April Rose Pengilly.
It comes four months after production company Fremantle secured Amazon as an international partner for the drama, replacing British broadcaster Channel 5, who announced earlier in 2022 that they would no longer be funding the series.
Working behind the scenes on the new season are executive producer Jason Herbison, producer Andrew Thompson, associate producer Breeze Callahan and casting director Thea Mcleod.
Network 10 is retaining first-run rights in Australia, with episodes to be available ad-free on Prime Video in Australia seven days later. The series will premiere on Amazon Freevee in the UK and US and will also stream on Prime Video in Canada, Ireland, South Africa, and New Zealand.
Herbison said the program’s revival felt “very real now”.
“It’s a hive of activity at the studio,” he said.
“We’re busy writing the next chapter of Neighbours, bringing to life again the show’s much-loved characters as well as new residents.
“It’s exciting to see the sets being prepped, ready to start filming on April 17 which will be a huge day for everyone involved”.
The soap, which has been responsible for launching the careers of people such as Jason Donovan, Kylie Minogue, Margot Robbie, and Liam Hemsworth, is also well known as a training ground for emerging talent behind-the-scenes.