The Neighbours Thread

[Dirk Gently]

This just may be the first Neighbours I'll watch since Kylie & Jason were in it.

[Milky Tears]

I thought you'd be watching it to perv over Nicky Whelan?

TOKEN PERV POST ALERT!!

The see-through bikini shots on her fansite are worth a look.

http://nicky-whelan-pepper.emmv.com/

Excellent areola!!

[Dirk Gently]

I don't know what you're talking about.
I've never even seen any shaved bikini photos!

[Simon R]

Didn't Freema Agyeman play Areola in "Army of Ghosts"?

[Milky Tears]

I thought she played Hammy Areola, or was it Pepperoni?

[Simon R]

Looking at those Nicky Whelan pictures, you can practically see her Pepper pot in one of those.

She looks oddly bulgy down there. Is she a man?

[SiHart]

Are big changes on the way? If Perfect Belnd are right, it looks like there is:

This week has seen some new rumours about Neighbours' future in the Australian press, indicating that the show would be taken off-air for several weeks to be revamped, as well as some big changes in writing staff. A source on the show has confirmed to us that, although the part about it being taken off-air is untrue, rumours of a massive revamp are not unfounded - "The show is getting a big makeover, a big new family, plus a lot of other new characters and the return of some popular old ones. High Definition. New sets. New titles. New theme song. And no, the writers haven't been given the sack!" And, as if that wasn't enough, rumours in the UK press that Fiona Corke is back for another short stint as Gail Robinson are also true.

Hooray for more Gail! Get her back for good!

Si xx

[Milky Tears]

We're getting to the good stuff on BBC1 now. The 2006 Season Finale was shown today.

Looked like Toadie was laughing at the end of the episode.

[Simon R]

Ammended title sequence today then...no more Lynn and no more Will. Is that a new record for shortest time appearing in a title sequence? Barely a month I reckon. Wonder why he's gone.

[Si Hunt]

The title sequence was so exciting we had to wind back and watch it frame by frame. I'm suspicious that everyone is in "pairs" making it easier to edit them out when they leave but Simon tells me I'm just being silly.

OR AM I.

Si.

[Si Hunt]

Network Ten drama executive Dan Bennett has admitted that low ratings for Neighbours in Australia have become a cause for concern.

An increase in sensationalised storylines have failed to capture the attention of Oz fans, with the show pulling in fewer than 700,000 viewers each night in recent weeks. Bennett has confessed that executives are keen for the show to go back to its roots, focusing on families rather than bombs and shootings.

"Certainly, the figures we're getting now aren't a great basis for our night-time schedule,'' Bennett told The Sunday Telegraph. "Storylines are going to be refocused on what has quintessentially been at the heart of Neighbours: relationships and family dynamics.

"There can be the occasional bomb blast - no soap is complete without it - but at the end of the day, Neighbours began as a show about friends and families living on a street and all the problems people face every day. And that's what we'll be heading back to."

Executive producer Ric Pellizzeri played down talk of a crisis, insisting: "Coronation Street's been going 40 years, and we're looking at Neighbours as a show that will run for 40 years and even longer.''

Alan Fletcher, who plays Karl Kennedy, recently revealed that the soap was undergoing a "major transformation".

I'm saying nothing (but it won't let you post if you haven't got at least some unquoted text).

Will you sign this sign this sign this. Will you sign this?

Si.

[SiHart]

Well he's quite right- The seiges, gun dramas, gangsters and stuff are a bit out of character for the soap, which has always erred on the side of fun and is better for it. There's so much deadwood in thew cast still, even after all the culling recently, that maybe that's the revamp is about- although they seem to be giuving Ned a child to look after (some hitherto unheard of family member) so maybe not...

Si xx

[Si Hunt]

I think it CAN get silly, but on the other hand the Lassiters fire and aeroplane crash have surely been highlights of recent years. The real problem comes, as Si says, with dull characters. At the moment the entertaining Timmins family have reached the end of their shelf life (not helped by the fact that certain members like Dylan and Scott have recently been made utterly unlikeable) and we have aimless characters like Carmella and Mishka (annoying). Susan, Karl, Zeke and Rachel are a good family, as are Paul and Elle, but there's few strong women or 'older' characters on the street and not that many youngsters either. Too many uninteresting twenty somethings.

Si.

[SiHart]

Yep- I agree. Neighbours was always best with it's strong matriachs- Helen, Madge and the like. The only one we have now is Susan, who is great, but we could do with an older Gran or something that everyone can go to for advice. That's what's missing. The yuongsters are all very well, but Neighbours needs a cast of all ages.
And a fit gay character too!

Si xx

[Simon R]

Rowena Wallace is a step in the right direction although she probably won't be around for long. It's such a shame that Izzy left as she was an excellent character. Bring in Belinda Giblin, Judy Nunn, Janet Fielding, Dannii Minogue and bring in Anne Charleston as Madge's long lost twin.

[Milky Tears]

Lolly is back!


and I'm not talking about 40-year-old teeny pop star Anna Kumble from eight years ago.

[Si Hunt]

The new Lolly is AWFUL and I can see why she's vanished from screens in Oz already. I think the idea is that they are doing the old 'prodigical daughter returns seemingly lovely but is really a scheming bitch' storyline again, but her acting is so bland it really isn't clear. She's no Mel Bell.

We also fail to be impressed by this twink that's turned up to play Frazer's brother. Normally a blond floppy fringe and an age on the cusp of consent would endear him to HaRpi, but I'm afraid we have no time for this square-jawed Jesse Spencer wannabe.

Si.

[Simon R]

Just when you think they've got the worst actor ever with Ned they top him with Lolly. Awful beyond words and a real shame as there's potential storylines aplenty with that character as she'd give Lou-Bear something to do and they could lure back Danni and Brett Stark since they're Lolly's half-siblings.

[Si Hunt]

Lou has at least four more-interesting relations they could bring back.

Si.

[Milky Tears]

Today's episode just seems to be full of bra talk!

[Milky Tears]

This Channel Five story seems to do the rounds once every couple of months, but they've thrown ITV into the mix this time:

http://media.guardian.co.uk/broadcas...054715,00.html

ITV and C5 eye up Neighbours
Leigh Holmwood
Thursday April 12, 2007
MediaGuardian.co.uk

The BBC is facing a three-way battle to keep Neighbours, with ITV and Channel Five considering bidding for the Australian daytime soap.

It is understood the BBC has a period of exclusivity in negotiations for a new contract for the long-running show, but has said it would only commit "if the price was right".

ITV and Channel Five would be keen to get their hands on the soap, with sources confirming they had both run the rule over it.

The soap's current contract with the BBC ends later next year and discussions about a new deal have already begun.

Neighbours would plug a hole in ITV1's afternoon schedule, which has struggled since the loss of Home and Away to Five and the defection of Paul O'Grady to Channel 4.

Neighbours could also be used on ITV2, which is also currently looking for a "teen-oriented soap".

The ITV chief operating officer, John Cresswell, was quoted as saying last week that a teen soap would bring a "habit-forming, young audience" to peak on ITV2.

ITV could follow the lead of Five, which plays Home and Away on its main network at 6pm, then gives viewers a first look at the next episode immediately afterwards on digital channel Five Life.

An ITV spokeswoman said the channel was looking to commission a home-grown series.

Five is also interested in bidding for Neighbours, which it would air alongside Home and Away in a soap hour from 6pm.

The channel has long been interested in acquiring the soap, made by Australian production company Grundy - which is owned by Five's parent company RTL.

The BBC has said it is "committed" to Neighbours, but has denied reports it is preparing to shell out 13m a year to keep it - over three times what it currently pays.

The BBC director of acquisitions, George McGhee, told MediaGuardian.co.uk the corporation wanted to keep the show "but only if the price was right".

He said: "This figure [of 13m a year] is a lot of nonsense. That amount of money would be absolutely ridiculous.

"The BBC is committed to Neighbours but only at the right price."

Negotiations over Neighbours are continuing, although one source said a deal was "still quite some time off", with the BBC holding the rights until well into next year.

Despite its ratings falling from the days of Scott and Charlene's romance and wedding in the late 80s, Neighbours is still a ratings banker for BBC1, pulling in around 3 million viewers for its 1.35pm lunchtime repeat and around 2.6 million for its 5.35pm episode.

Meanwhile, Five has reportedly held on to the rights for hit American drama House despite interest from ITV.

It has been reported that the broadcaster has been forced to shell out 500,000 an episode to keep the Hugh Laurie drama, which regularly pulls in 2 million viewers.

Will the BBC let it slip away? Will it be better on Five or ITV1/2? Would ITV add a text vote thingy every episode? Who would sponsor it? Sheilas' Bloody Wheels!?

[Si Hunt]

They should allow viewers to vote for which young actor appears in a saucy clothes-free storyline, and then comply with a future plot accordingly.

Si.

[Milky Tears]

Some great stuff in today's episode. The highlight was Stiffy getting his leg off with Pepper Pot while the model train goes into the tunnel. It's Neighbours Gold!

Looking forward to the forthcoming "Hot Lesbian Action Scenes"

[Simon R]

There was silly seasons with Karl's cock too.

[Si Hunt]

It's ludicrous that Zeke wasn't there to see Katya off!

Si.