Neighbours will be cancelled by Channel 5 this summer, according to Digital Spy.
Following a tabloid leak on Saturday evening, the show’s British broadcaster issued a formal statement confirming the news.
“Neighbours will no longer air on Channel 5 beyond this summer,” a Channel 5 representative said in an official statement to Digital Spy.
“We’d like to congratulate the cast, Fremantle, and the entire production crew for their excellent work on this landmark series, which has been a much-loved part of our schedule for more than a decade.”
“Of course, we’d want to thank the fans for their unwavering support of Neighbours throughout the years,” the spokesman continued.
“We understand that this decision will cause sadness, but our present focus is on boosting our investment in original UK drama, which has a great appeal for our audiences.”
Neighbours’ production firm, Fremantle, has yet to respond to Digital Spy, but the program’s Australian broadcaster, Channel 10, has issued a statement indicating that they wish to keep the show running if they can find another broadcaster.
“As outlined in the email to Neighbours cast and crew, it is our intention to continue our association with Neighbours if another broadcast partner comes forward. Network 10 has an ongoing commitment to the show, the cast and crew and is hopeful that Fremantle will find a new production partner. We will provide further updates as they become available.”
Channel 5’s decision marks the end of an era, as Neighbours has been a crucial part of the station’s daytime schedule since 2008.
Neighbours remain one of the broadcaster’s most-watched programmes each week, but a report in The Sun has suggested that Channel 5 pulled its funding for the show for budget reasons.
The cost of funding Neighbours’ ongoing production was reportedly “too expensive” for the channel to continue with.
Digital Spy understands that Channel 5’s final episode of Neighbours will air in August.
Channel 5 has had success in recent years with stripped-down 9pm dramas including The Teacher, Lie With Me, and Cold Call.
With its rendition of All Creatures Great and Small, the channel has also attracted a big viewership.
The UK broadcasts of Neighbours originally aired on BBC One from 1986 until 2008, when Channel 5 won a bid to take over.
In recent years, the station has collaborated closely with the Australian crew, hosting late-night events, on-screen competitions, and major storylines to coincide with the UK broadcast schedule.