(L-R) Alan Fletcher, Jackie Woodburne, Stefan Dennis and Ryan Moloney
Network 10 and the UK’s Channel 5 have commissioned an extra five episodes of Fremantle’s Neighbours to mark the show’s 35th anniversary.
The anniversary week kicks off at 6.30 pm on March 16 on 10 Peach as Chloe Brennan (April Rose Pengilly) get the idea to stage a wedding expo to save Lassiters, with help from Terese (Rebekah Elmaloglou).
This evolves into five weddings, one per episode, reuniting couples from different decades on Ramsay Street that didn’t make it down the aisle.
In contrast, the bonus episodes at 7 pm have a darker, grittier tone with the deaths of three Erinsborough favourites.
The drama centres around Elly Conway (Jodi Anasta) being whisked away to Pierce Greyson’s (Tim Robards) remote island glamping resort to celebrate her 35th birthday with a group of Ramsay Street friends including Toadie (Ryan Moloney).
However, Finn Kelly’s (Rob Mills) evil side has been unmasked and he hatches a deadly revenge plan.
The show’s executive producer Jason Herbison said: “We’re excited to deliver our viewers a double dose of Neighbours which will lead to three deaths and five weddings. There’s warmth and nostalgia as well as high drama and – for the first time ever – we’ll have a week-long narrative taking place separate to the happenings in Erinsborough.”