Neighbours

Neighbours won't end. There were rumours the BBC were going to axe it after the 20th birthday edition - perhaps people got confused.

I've been a Neighbours fan ever since about 1988 as well. I like it because you can always tune in to the simple story structures at any time and not feel that you've missed anything.

I have to say though if Neighbours finishes Doctors is a close competitor on the BBC at the moment.

We will be about 9 weeks behind when we start seeing the 2007 season so yes around March id say.

Anyone notice that babies went missing in both yesterdays uk Home and Away and Neighbours episodes!

Memory Lane.. The first ever launch promo for Neighbours on BBC 1 in 1986:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adL6vWKMMR8

I remember it was only on at lunchtimes in the early days. Any idea when it first got its 5.35pm slot?

When it gfirst started it was first showing at 125pm and then repeated at 1005am the next dat. It was about a couple of years later when it got the 535pm slot.

The original screening times were 1.25pm with a repeat at 10.05am the next day, as Amos says. A year later in September 1987 the repeat was moved to c. 9.03am (after news headlines) with the next programme scheduled for 9.20 (so for about three months the show was heavily edited by the BBC, including removing the recap sequences and substantially shortening the end credits, to fit the show into a 17-minute slot.). Prior to this, the show had been edited a little even from day one to fit the timeslot. Once the repeat moved to 5.35pm the same day, the show was no longer edited for timing reasons and in fact, for quite a few years the BBC actually made it longer by showing a longer recap sequence than was shown down under. This was quite noticeable in the early-to-mid 90s when the same music bed ran through the entire recap sequence - the BBC version had the music stopping and starting as scenes were added to the recap!

Interesting. I have never known them to increase the show before!

Was it January 1988 that it moved to 5.35pm?

The show seems to be around 21 minutes now (including titles and recap) from 5.37pm-5.58pm

Aye, they moved it to 5.35pm in January 1988 - I meant to say that above.

I thought it was around about then. My mum used to watch it from day one in the afternoons but I didnt start watching it until much later due to the fact I was in school. I watched it once it had moved to 5.35pm.

I was definately watching before Charlene and Scott's wedding which I believe was November 1988 in the uk.

Aye, it sure was! I remember that being the episode that got the highest viewing figures at the time (something like 18 million, ISTR, more than the population of Australia!)

I loved the era with Scott, Charlene, Plain Jane, Mrs Mangel, Madge and of course Jim and Helen. We only have Harold and Paul left from that era now.

I was too young to remember Scott and Charlene's wedding but I remember them being in it. Chances are with all the hype about the wedding it made my parents tune in to watch - well certainly my mum as she would have been on maternity leave around then.

I certainly remember Mrs Mangel and Harold, the Bishop's house being set on fire and the original coffee shop fire as my earliest memories. In fact I used to hate that old tan sofa the Bishops had and was pleased when it was set alight!

I never remember Neighbours having a 5.35pm repeat until about 1990 - perhaps it was always time for Catchword with Paul Coia on BBC2 instead.

*geeky*