"I think people watch TV in a very different way now."
Channel 5 boss, Ben Frow, has revealed whether a new soap would replace Neighbours following its cancellation.
In a conversation with Radio Times Magazine, the showrunner said that there are no plans to replace Neighbours.
"No. I think people watch TV in a very different way now. That kind of nightly commitment to a soap is huge," he said.
"You've got Coronation Street, EastEnders, Casualty, Emmerdale, where's the space? My money is better spent on content more versatile than a regular soap.
Neighbours – all the characters returning for the finale
We're officially near the end of beloved Neighbours, and the show is ending on a high with plenty of returning faces. Izzy Hoyland has dropped two bombshells since making a comeback, while Joe Mangel's return aired recently.
Finally, the images of Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan back on the street have been revealed.
Channel 5 confirmed the double-bill finale will be airing on July 29 at 9pm and will be followed by two specials, Neighbours: What Happened Next and Neighbours: The Stars' Greatest Hits.
The cancellation of Neighbours was a business decision, according to Frow, as the money would be "better spent" on UK programming.
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The channel controller continued to say that there was an option of continuing the show for its UK audience before adding: "Or I could spend the money on other things, which is what I decided to do. I can better spend the Neighbours money on UK shows."
As for the fate of other soaps like Home and Away, Frow has confirmed that the show isn't going anywhere.
"No. But I think it will be interesting to see what we do with it as we evolve. There might be somewhere else to put it in the 5 spectrum," he added, before revealing why the show won’t be cancelled.
"It's a life-of-series deal, so it's not going anywhere until the makers decide to cancel it."
Neighbours airs weekdays at 1.45pm and 6pm on Channel 5 and streams on My5. In Australia, the show airs Mondays to Thursdays at 6.30pm on 10 Peach and streams on 10 Play.
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