Latest news with #KarlKennedy
Leader Live
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Leader Live
Soap star Alan Fletcher says Neighbours is finishing ‘at its peak'
The programme had its final day of filming earlier this month after its two-year Prime Video revival which followed it being dropped from broadcast by Channel 5 in 2022. Fletcher, 68, who has played Dr Karl Kennedy for 30 years, said it is 'fair to say' he is now more famous in the UK than Australia due to the popularity of the show here. He told ITV's Good Morning Britain (GMB): 'It's extremely popular. It sits in the top five programmes (on Amazon). A post shared by Neighbours (@neighbours) 'Amazon gave us an extra 400 episodes, and we are eternally grateful. 'I have to say to you, when we finished filming, rather than the sadness we had the first time, I sat back and thought, 'Do you know what? We've been given the opportunity to make the best Neighbours we ever could have made'. 'That's where we finished up. I reckon Neighbours is at its peak.' The cast wrapped filming on July 11 at Nunawading Studios and the soap's final broadcast after 40 years will be in December. The programme, which launched the careers of Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan, Margot Robbie and Guy Pearce among others, has followed the lives of people living and working in the fictional Melbourne suburb of Erinsborough since 1985. Neighbours was dropped by Channel 5 in 2022 after it failed to secure new funding, with a finale episode in July that year attracting an average audience of 2.5 million when several well-known characters returned to the show to say goodbye. The soap's return was announced in late 2022, with a social media clip featuring some of the characters being told the news. In February this year it was announced the programme would end after reports production company Fremantle failed to secure a deal with Amazon.
South Wales Guardian
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- South Wales Guardian
Soap star Alan Fletcher says Neighbours is finishing ‘at its peak'
The programme had its final day of filming earlier this month after its two-year Prime Video revival which followed it being dropped from broadcast by Channel 5 in 2022. Fletcher, 68, who has played Dr Karl Kennedy for 30 years, said it is 'fair to say' he is now more famous in the UK than Australia due to the popularity of the show here. He told ITV's Good Morning Britain (GMB): 'It's extremely popular. It sits in the top five programmes (on Amazon). A post shared by Neighbours (@neighbours) 'Amazon gave us an extra 400 episodes, and we are eternally grateful. 'I have to say to you, when we finished filming, rather than the sadness we had the first time, I sat back and thought, 'Do you know what? We've been given the opportunity to make the best Neighbours we ever could have made'. 'That's where we finished up. I reckon Neighbours is at its peak.' The cast wrapped filming on July 11 at Nunawading Studios and the soap's final broadcast after 40 years will be in December. The programme, which launched the careers of Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan, Margot Robbie and Guy Pearce among others, has followed the lives of people living and working in the fictional Melbourne suburb of Erinsborough since 1985. Neighbours was dropped by Channel 5 in 2022 after it failed to secure new funding, with a finale episode in July that year attracting an average audience of 2.5 million when several well-known characters returned to the show to say goodbye. The soap's return was announced in late 2022, with a social media clip featuring some of the characters being told the news. In February this year it was announced the programme would end after reports production company Fremantle failed to secure a deal with Amazon.
Rhyl Journal
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Rhyl Journal
Soap star Alan Fletcher says Neighbours is finishing ‘at its peak'
The programme had its final day of filming earlier this month after its two-year Prime Video revival which followed it being dropped from broadcast by Channel 5 in 2022. Fletcher, 68, who has played Dr Karl Kennedy for 30 years, said it is 'fair to say' he is now more famous in the UK than Australia due to the popularity of the show here. He told ITV's Good Morning Britain (GMB): 'It's extremely popular. It sits in the top five programmes (on Amazon). A post shared by Neighbours (@neighbours) 'Amazon gave us an extra 400 episodes, and we are eternally grateful. 'I have to say to you, when we finished filming, rather than the sadness we had the first time, I sat back and thought, 'Do you know what? We've been given the opportunity to make the best Neighbours we ever could have made'. 'That's where we finished up. I reckon Neighbours is at its peak.' The cast wrapped filming on July 11 at Nunawading Studios and the soap's final broadcast after 40 years will be in December. The programme, which launched the careers of Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan, Margot Robbie and Guy Pearce among others, has followed the lives of people living and working in the fictional Melbourne suburb of Erinsborough since 1985. Neighbours was dropped by Channel 5 in 2022 after it failed to secure new funding, with a finale episode in July that year attracting an average audience of 2.5 million when several well-known characters returned to the show to say goodbye. The soap's return was announced in late 2022, with a social media clip featuring some of the characters being told the news. In February this year it was announced the programme would end after reports production company Fremantle failed to secure a deal with Amazon.
Daily Mail
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Dr Karl doesn't look like this anymore! Alan Fletcher is unrecognisable as he arrives for final week of filming on axed soap Neighbours
Alan Fletcher is one of the most beloved stars to ever appear on Aussie soap opera Neighbours. As the show nears its final episodes, the actor, who has played Karl Kennedy on the Australian soap since 1994, arrived for work this week looking rather different than he did in his heyday. The 68-year-old arrived on set on Tuesday for what is the last week of filming for the iconic series. Alan was sporting grey and white hair and appeared unshaven as he exited his vehicle. He opted for a striped dress shirt in tones of red, white and blue, along with a pair of grey trousers. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the Daily Mail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Alan Fletcher (pictured), who has played Karl Kennedy on the Australian soap since 1994, arrived for work this week looking rather different than he did in his heyday The veteran actor completed his ensemble with a pair of brown dress shoes. Alan previously revealed he once nearly died while filming Neighbours. He recounted a 'terrifying' incident which saw him nearly drown while filming scenes on a cruise. During an upcoming appearance on Saturday Night With Hayley Palmer, Alan told the presenter how his character had been attempting to rescue his fiancée Izzy Hoyland (Natalie Bassingthwaighte), when things went south. Alan claimed he only survived the near-death-experience after a speedboat came to his rescue. He went on to tell viewers he collapsed a week later due to 'delayed shock', but has lived on to tell the tale. The Perth native said: 'This was a terrifying incident, Karl proposed to Izzy... she got so excited she pitched into the water. 'After they fished her out, I had to dive in to try and rescue her, obviously in a fictional way, but I forgot to take my shoes off so they filled up with water and every time I went down I thought, "Gee, am I gonna come up again? 'The third time I went down, I thought, "I don't know if I am gonna come up," so I got a bit flustered, put my hand up in the air and the speedboat had to rush out and rescue me. 'A week later, I actually collapsed from a delayed shock to the body. It was very weird.' It comes after the long-running soap opera was abruptly axed in February. Amazon did not renew their contract with production company Fremantle Australia. In response to the shock announcement, an Amazon spokesperson told MailOnline: 'Neighbours has brought so much joy over the last 40 years to its fanbase globally. 'Forty years is an incredible milestone and we are proud that Amazon MGM Studios was able to have a small part of bringing further episodes to Freevee and Prime Video customers over the last two years.' In a heartwarming post, the crew assured fans that new episodes from the 40th anniversary season would continue to be broadcast on Prime Video and Ten, with 'all the big soapie twists and turns that our viewers love'. The show's Executive Producer Jason Herbison went on to celebrate the many years of Neighbours and the success it had experienced since its inception. 'Audiences all around the world have loved Neighbours for four decades,' he said. 'We are proud of the success over the last two years including often appearing as one of the Top 10 titles in the UK and the show's first-ever Daytime Emmy nomination. 'As this chapter closes, we appreciate and thank Amazon MGM Studios for all that they have done for Neighbours – bringing this iconic and much-loved series to new audiences globally.' He ended the post, saying: 'We value how much the fans love Neighbours and we believe there are more stories of the residents of Ramsay Street to tell in the future.' The final ever episodes will air at the end of 2025 with fans forced to say goodbye to Ramsay Street for a second time, after first being axed in February 2022.
