Five Wins Neighbours!

[Dan F]

BBC set to drop Neighbours

From Broadcast

The BBC is on the brink of withdrawing from negotiations to buy Neighbours and has labelled distributor Fremantle Media's demands as "unrealistic and greedy".

The corporation has become increasingly frustrated with Fremantle after failing to renew its existing deal during a period of exclusive talks.

BBC director of acquisitions George McGhee said: "If a deal is not reached in the very, very near future, we will withdraw the money and move it elsewhere. We quite possibly will [move it by the end of this week]."

It has been reported that the BBC, which currently pays around £25,000 an episode for the Aussie soap, offered in the region of £70,000 an episode and hoped to spin the show out on to BBC3. This was rejected by Fremantle, which has now gone to market with the series.

ITV has made an offer said to be £80,000 an episode, but is also understood to be frustrated with the terms Fremantle has come back with.

An ITV source said: "There are too many bells and whistles involved in the deal."

However, securing Neighbours would be a coup for ITV1, which has struggled at teatime since losing Home and Away to Five and Paul O'Grady to Channel 4.

Five is also said to be interested. The broadcaster is owned by German media giant RTL, which also owns Fremantle.

McGhee said: "The ball is in Fremantle's court. If the other offers had worked out better for them, we would have heard. We've made a good offer which is about to be withdrawn."

A Fremantle spokesman said: "Fremantle Media's contract with the BBC is coming to an end and renegotiations are ongoing. Because of this we are unable to comment further."

Neighbours is shown twice a day on BBC1 and is the most popular show on terrestrial daytime television, other than the BBC1 lunchtime news.

In the 1.40pm timeslot in 2006 it averaged 2.6 million (38.6%) with the most watched episode on 3 February taking 3.3 million (42.8%), while the least watched (13 July) got 1.8 million (34.1%). This year it has averaged 2.9 million (39.2%).

In the 5.35pm slot it averaged 2.8 million (19.7%) in 2006 and so far this year has averaged 2.9 million (17.8%).

[ste]

Thanks Dan

It looks like wherever Neighbours goes, it will be getting a lot more money than it used to, which can only mean a better quality show (It can't be a coincidence that freemantle suddenly want a LOT more money just as they are revamping the show).

I'm glad ITV don't want it anymore, I hate ITV. They didn't like the "bells and whistles" in the deal? Freemantle probably insisted something crazy like "don't cut the credits"

I really hope Five get it!

[Pierced Musie]

They probably insisted that episodes never get cut, which ITV hates.

[Dan F]

Same here Ste, I've really started disliking ITV in the last few years, they're becoming lazy and far too greedy for their own good....it's very rare that I switch on ITV nowadays as their quality of programmes is shocking - and they just can't be bothered to think up some original ideas for good programmes rather than sticking on more talent and reality shows - most of which are formats copied from the BBC. I wouldn't be surprised if it still went to them though.

I too hope that it will go to Five, they are keeping quite quiet at the moment about negotiations, which can only be a good thing - they certainly deserve it a lot more than ITV do.

[victim-ofthenight]

Thanks for that very interesting post Dan. Reads to me that it may well swing onto five's shedule i think ITV only want it out of desperation as since losing H&A shortland street crossroads going down the sink etc, all we get is endless re runs of too put it bluntly crap.Five also of course have the foot in the door with fremantle recently re running sunset beach and sons and daughters in the last 2 years both distributed by the company also

[claire_louise]

It would be so nice if H&A and Neighbours went back to running consecutively on the same channel. Ah the good old days!

[ste]

It would be so nice if H&A and Neighbours went back to running consecutively on the same channel. Ah the good old days!

When did they run on the same channel? Was that in UK or Aus?

[~Amy~]

If it moves to five it will result in even less viewers because over here in NI very few people have a watchable channel five, I know its a small country but I don't think it can afford to loose more. I am not sure about the south of Ireland though.

It airs on RTÉ over here....

[Dan F]

It would be so nice if H&A and Neighbours went back to running consecutively on the same channel. Ah the good old days!

When did they run on the same channel? Was that in UK or Aus?

I was wondering that too...it certainly wasn't Oz as Neighbours moved to Ten before H&A even started.....sure you're not thinking of 'Shortland Street' Claire?

[claire_louise]

Yes, that was my mistake, idiot that I am! Sorry!