Neighbours has addressed criticism over why Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan had such little diaolgue following their much-hyped return in the last ever episode.
The pair reprised their roles as 80s power couple Scott and Charlene Robinson following a 34-year absence as the Australian soap bowed out after almost four decades on Channel 5 last Friday.
Fans were left disappointed however after Minogue, 54, only uttered five words with some joking online that she had been paid by the word.
Executive producer Jason Herbison has dismissed this theory and explained that Minogue and Donovan filmed their scenes before the rest of the last episode had been written so had to be slotted in with the rest of the action once all edited together.
“Our discussions with Jason and Kylie were always about making a small appearance. They didn’t want to overshadow the current cast or make the finale about them,” Herbison told Australia’s TV Tonight.
“We also filmed their scenes before I’d written the episode, so whatever we filmed had to fit in with that.”
He also praised Minogue and said any criticism directed at her was uncalled for, saying: “I hate to see Kylie copping any criticism – she was nothing short of amazing on the day.”
Donovan previously described his and Minogue’s reappearance as “an homage rather than a sort of big moment”.
“This is not trying to recreate the past, this is actually giving a nod to those characters and what the street’s done for us,” he added.
The double episode saw a number of famous former Ramsay Street residents return to say their final goodbyes.
Among them were Margot Robbie and Guy Pearce who have since gone on to find huge success in Hollywood.
Natalie Imbruglia, Delta Goodrum, Holly Valance, Kym Valentine, Jesse Spencer, Mark Little also appeared.
Anne Charleston and Terence Donovan even had cameos as the ghosts of Madge Bishop and Doug Willis respectively.
