Last week it was revealed that after 37 years neighbours would be coming to an end.  My reaction to this was much like anyone else’s, ‘oh that’s a shame’.  I haven’t watched the show in years but knowing it was still broadcast provided comfort.  In such a fast -paced world with headlines of pandemics and impending nuclear war, the idea of a traditional soap opera that has followed the same formula/recipe for 8780 episodes means that some things can stay the same.

Soap operas as a concept have been around since the 1930s and were created in America.  The term was coined in reference to the radio/TV “specials” that had soap/cleaning products as sponsors.  A wonderful early example of strategic targeting and the importance of housewives as consumers!  Over the years soap operas have evolved but the genre conventions have stayed the same at heart: domestic scenarios, melodrama and ensemble casts. Across the globe territories have their own interpretation- notably the flamboyancy of telenovelas in Latin America.  Historically, soaps in the UK are often a vehicle for public service, addressing relevant social issues. I am sure this is why, despite falling ratings, BBC remains committed to EastEnders.  (Most recently we saw a pro covid vaccine storyline on Albert Square).  This makes Neighbours such an interesting case- with each soap opera having something unique to the country of origin its rare to see exports do so well for so long!

Outside of soap operas a 37 year tenure would be unthinkable. The Simpsons is the next ‘non soap’ longest running show at 32 years. It’s a tremendous achievement and should be celebrated.  A few key reasons behind its success are surely the talent of actors and its notoriety for launching careers (Kylie Minogue, Margot Robbie to name two).  The ability to satisfy both British and Australian audiences and provide a landmark dual production project, in the days before Zoom and Slack(the fax and telephone bills must have been huge). And what about its interpretation of the genre? The back drop of sunshine vs. grey and cobbled street scenes, and the use of humour and banal topics- Harold and his trombone practice anyone?!

Finally the cross-generational appeal.  I am the third woman in my family to have watched the show- my nan still does- to this day. I was nursed as a baby to it.  As an older child It was very much part of my viewing schedule: after Newsround /pre- Fresh Prince of Belair on BBC2. Then like most university students I got reinvested.  In fact Neighbours has been known for cult following across UK universities and rather surreally Carl Kennedy (Alan Fletcher) has a tradition of touring campuses during “Freshers’ week”.

Despite all these positive attributes, Neighbours will cease broadcast in September. In surmising the  end of the show, news outlets have pointed to the falling ratings and high production costs as the reasons for the show being stopped.  Landmark episodes in the 1980s were able to achieve up to 20 million viewers, and now we only see 1 million. Over the last few years we have seen similar headlines declining audiences for soaps across the board.  So the natural question is “Will Neighbours departure mark the beginning of the end of Soaps in the UK?”

I do not think so.  Soaps are woven into the fabric of UK cultural identity.  While declines in audiences for the genre are real, they are also in proportion to the overall declines of Live TV viewership. BARB data reveals that soaps still make up the top 10 of TV shows watched by housewives and adults 35+. Coronation Street is often number one much to ITV’s delight.

So, with an audience appetite still present for soaps, the issue returns to production costs. With reality TV being cost effective and consistent in bringing in live TV viewing figures (especially for those trying to avoid spoilers on social media) its tough for TV networks to justify the expense in investment into the soap opera model. Everything from sets, scripts, location fees; ensemble talent fees and the size of production teams needed to create a daily serialised show.

Neighbours departure may reveal the next steps for the genre overall.  Is there life after live TV for soaps? Could it be the first to be adopted by a streaming service?  We’ve seen Netflix respond to public campaigning and petitions, most notably Friends.  Optimistically, this week there have  also been suggestions of Britbox being a ‘fit’ – although ITV have declined to comment.  For a successful migration over,  its important to recognise the difference in streaming content consumption.  The popularity of binge watching might require a weekly drop of five episodes to satisfy the streaming audience binge-watching- similar to the omnibus we no longer see on live tv! Will the 37 year catalogue of Neighbours be homed or will we see a brand new spin off?!

The publicity around the future of Neighbours sparked my curiosity, I might even start watching again. I wonder if the next few months of BARB data will reveal others doing the same.