Since Neighbours' final episode aired on July 29, 2022, many soap fans have worried that Home And Away could be next.
The Australian soap, which has been broadcast in the UK for over 37 years, follows the lives of characters living in Summer Bay and has kept viewers on the edge of their seats throughout the decades.
However in recent years, Home And Away axe rumours have circulated – long before the news about Neighbours was confirmed.
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Now fans have taken to social media to ask the soap's stars if the show could be next.
After both Channel 5 and Australian broadcasters recently confirmed the future of the soap, Daily Star has taken a look at the Home And Away axe fears.
Home And Away star speaks out
Following the axe of Neighbours, many fans have been worried that Home And Away could be next.
It was reported that viewers had been asking for the soap's stars to confirm the future of the show on social media – with Summer Bay icon Lynne McGranger speaking out about the axe rumours.
Lynne, who has played Irene Roberts for over 25 years, took to Twitter following a report shared by a fan that Home And Away could be axed.
She tweeted: "First I’ve heard of it," followed by a shrugging emoji.
Lynne continued in a further tweet: "I'm seeing all this stuff but I honestly have heard nothing. It may be true…. but then again I apparently was definitely leaving the Bay 18 months or so ago."
It was also reported at the time that Channel 5, which broadcasts the soap in the UK, and Channel 7, which broadcasts the soap in Australia, had not responded to fans' questions about the axe rumours.
Sophie Dillman, who plays Ziggy Astoni in Home And Away, also told Daily Star that they were unaware of any possible axe rumours, saying: "I’m devastated that Neighbours is gone. It was such an iconic Australian television show."
She added: "I don’t know what that means for Home and Away but it’s certainly… when we heard we were all very, very sad."
Past axe reports and 'low ratings' rumours
It is not the first time that Home And Away has been rumoured for the axe throughout the years.
Low ratings were reported by media outlets as the reason behind the soap potentially being taken off air, but Home And Away bosses quickly slammed the rumours following the release of a statement.
Angus Ross, Director of Networking Programming, told Metro: "The hard working cast and crew on Home And Away produce the most-loved and most-watched Australian drama on television.
"I can assure fans that the story is utter drivel. There are absolutely no plans to move it from its 7pm time slot on the main channel."
Life-of-series contract
It has been revealed that unlike Neighbours, Home And Away is signed to Channel 5 under a life-of-series contract.
This means that the broadcaster will continue to air the soap for as long as Australian producer Fremantle Media produces the episodes.
The news was also confirmed by Channel 5 boss Ben Frow in a recent interview with Radio Times, where he revealed that the broadcaster is excited to see how the soap will fit into the future of their programming.
He said: "I think it will be interesting to see what we do it with it as we evolve.
"There might be somewhere else to put it in the [Channel 5] spectrum.
"It's a life-of-series deal, so it's not going anywhere until the makers decide to cancel it."
Neighbours was sadly not under such a contract, and after Channel 5 decided to no longer air the soap, an alternative broadcaster to fund and air the soap could not be found – leading to its axe.
However if Fremantle and Channel 7 did decide to stop production on the soap, it would mean UK viewers saying goodbye to Summer Bay too.
'Expensive' soap
Although Home And Away has a life-of-series contract, Fremantle Media has revealed that Home And Away is a very "expensive" soap to make.
Referring to Home And Away as "our main drama that we run pretty much all year", Channel 7's Director Of Content Scheduling Brook Hall told TV Tonight: "It is our most expensive outlay of content. And that gets lost.
"There's no other network that would have as big a price tag on a show. It's our biggest production of the year."
Speaking about the soap's popularity and "high-quality", Brook also added that despite the high price tag, the soap has huge success and that Channel 7 "believes" in the soap.
Brook continued: "I'm very proud of Home and Away, and it's arguably our most important show and our biggest cash outlay. We don't have to do it. We believe in it.
"We don't do it because it's a drama quota. We do it because it's an amazingly successful show."
So don't worry Home And Away fans, it does not seem that the soap is going off air anytime soon.
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