Five Wins Neighbours!

[Dan F]

i contacted the bbc om 08700100222 and said they have pulled out from bidding for neighbours anyone can contact them and they will confirm this

Let's not forget that you brought us the news that Neighbours would be going off air for 6 months (not happening), that H&A would have brand new credits at the beginning of 2006 (didn't happen) and that Headland definately wasn't being axed with Seven commissioning more episodes (nope) .....all of which you said had been confirmed by phoning various people up.

[-Andrew-]

I reckon if ITV got it they would ram it into H&A's timeslot in an attempt to snatch viewers. (I see ITV as a petty, immarture channel owned by pigs)

Although it would be good to see whether neighbours ratings were actually people watching the show or just leaving the tv on after CBBC's finished....

[JackWilkins]

Sorry everyone it's true!! http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6669769.stm

[rising-flame]

Yup, I was just about to post the same link,i hope channel 5 get it that way they can do a neighbours/haa double bill

[Ryan]

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/programming/a5...neighbours.html

Appears five won the race.

[Si-Co]

I wonder when the BBC will screen its last episode, and if there will be a break before it debuts on Five?

[Jess]

^^ I heard that Neighbours will leave the Beeb in the spring next year; I don't know when five will take over, though.

[Dan F]

From Broadcast:

Five has poached the rights for Neighbours in an eight year deal worth £300m.

Neighbours is made by Grundy and distributed by Fremantle Media. Both companies are owned by RTL, which is also the parent company of Five.

Starting from 2008, it is thought that Five will schedule the show at 6.30pm, where it has struggled to replace axed local soap Family Affairs. It would form an Australian soap zone with Home and Away. It will also air on Five Life.

Five managing editor of content Lisa Opie: "I'm delighted Five has secured such a popular and sought after series. N eighbours is quite rightly much loved by its many fans and it will be a greatly prized part of our schedule and suitably cherished by us."

David Ellender, chief executive officer of FremantleMedia Enterprises, added: "Five will be a great home for Neighbours and FremantleMedia is confident that the show will continue to go from strength to strength."

Five chief executive Jane Lighting added: " Neighbours is a fantastic asset for us to add to Five's family of channels, particularly as it is a household brand which delivers strong audiences daily."

Speaking on Five Live today, BBC controller Peter Fincham said the BBC had not been able to justify the "stratospheric price" paid for by Five.

Fincham said: "This is nearly three times the amount we pay at the moment."

Neighbours averaged 2.6 million (38.6%) in 2006 at 1.40pm for BBC1. In the 5.35pm slot it averaged 2.8 million (19.7%) in 2006.

He added: "It is sad for the BBC and bad for viewers. The series is going to a home where such audiences do not exist."

If it takes the majority of these viewers with it to Five, it could become the channel's top rated show.

A Five spokesman said: "We had a close look at the figures and we paid what we think is commercially viable for the show."

Chris Hayward, television analyst at advertising buyer Zenith Optimedia, said: "I understand why Five have bought it but I can't get excited by it. Neighbours is a banker and a way of moving its audience onwards. After all the channel needs to improve its overall ratings and therefore Neighbours probably will pay for it over this period of time."

[Zetti]

I loved neighbours on BBC

[emmasi]

I'm suddenly very worried about this. I'm in Australia, so mostly I'm just glad that SOMEONE's got it in the UK (cause people have said that the show wouldn't last on Australian ratings alone... don't know if I agree, but for the sake of my irrational fears...) I'm worried about Five having it. I'm not sure that Home and Away really is more adult - it has more making out and violence... but Neighbours is the one that goes to places that H&A would never DREAM of going to! (Treating gay people as if they're NOT potential rapists and murderers, keeping characters with permanent disabilities, discussing how someone who's paralysed from the waist down would maintain a sexual relationship...) I worry that this will stop if they start thinking about what the Five sensors will be willing to air...

Tell me if I'm wrong, because I don't know what sort of stuff gets cut there. I'm just thinking that half of the Timmins' dialogue isn't gonna get through...

Could that be the reason for their systematic removal from the series...?