The Neighbours cast have revealed what they really think of the show after being rebooted by Amazon Freevee.
The Australian soap, which has followed the lives of those living and working in the fictional Melbourne suburb of Erinsborough since 1985, was dropped by Channel 5 in 2022 after failing to secure new funding.
Last year, it was rebooted by streaming service Amazon Freevee and while a number of familiar faces returned, they decided to reduce the number of episodes going out each week from five to four.
Cast members Ryan Moloney and Lucinda Cowden, AKA Toadie Rebecchi and Melanie Pearson, have now spoken candidly to the Standard about how they think it is all going almost one year on.
“I think it’s really quite good,” declared Moloney, who is quitting his character after 30 years and will instead take up a role behind the scenes. “Obviously we’re shooting things very differently now and production values have increased since us coming back and hopefully that shows on the screen and people enjoy that.
“And you know, it’s fantastic to be on Amazon because Amazon rule, they’re way better than Channel 5!” he added cattily.
Cowden meanwhile said reducing the number of episodes has had a positive impact on the show’s episodes.
She explained: “I think the whole show moves quicker. I think we used to have more fallow time after a huge storyline. Now, it just keeps going. There isn’t like, a lull anymore. I think when we had big storylines there was kind of a bit of a lull afterwards but somebody else picks up the drama and runs away with it as well so I think it’s a faster moving programme which probably makes it more interesting to watch.”
Their characters, along with Holly Hoyland (Lucinda Armstrong Hall) are set to be at the centre of the show’s latest big storyline, Death in the Outback, which hits the streamer August 19 - 22.
All three will find themselves in a major predicament in the harsh and unforgiving Australian bush leading to the true colours of another character, Heath Royce (Ethan Panizza) being expose.
“It kind of effects everything because so much happens and everyone’s changed in the process,” teased Cowden.
“Coming back, everyone has got their own different things to deal with individually as well as the collective and shared experience as well. I think it brings Mel and Holly closer together because they both recuse each other in the process.”
Armstrong Hall revealed that her character will suffer from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a result of the “trauma”.
Adding: “It’s a real-life altering experience what she goes through.”
