No RSVP's to Ramsay St: Neighbours finale falls flat with A-listers who starred in the soap - as Margot Robbie snubs reunion

Daily Mail​

5 hours ago

The upcoming Neighbours finale risks becoming a disaster, with a string of A-list stars reportedly declining to reprise their roles for the soap's final bow.
While the long-running soap opera, which was axed for a second time in February, was once a ratings giant that pulled in the biggest names in Aussie television, Ramsay Street now faces a farewell that feels more like a whisper than a celebration.
Despite a dramatic rescue by Amazon Freevee in late 2022 after it was first axed in February that year, the soap's revival has hit a sudden halt, with a 'resting' period set for December 2025.
Attempts to bring back some of the A-Listers who got their start on the show, including Margot Robbie, Guy Pearce, Natalie Imbruglia and Russell Crowe have fallen flat, leaving producers disappointed at the lack of enthusiasm.
The original grand finale from 2022 was a ratings smash, with fan favourites like Natalie Bassingthwaighte and Guy Pearce reprising their roles.
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Kylie Minogue, previously thrilled about her return for the 2022 finale, now reflects on feeling misled by the revival, reportedly describing it as a 'waste of time'.
However, one Ramsay Street veteran confirmed to be making their return is Kimberley Davies, who appeared on the soap from 1993 to 1996, and later moved to America, appearing in several US productions including Friends and Ally McBeal.
The absence of grand returns and viral excitement marks a stark contrast to the show's former glory days, signalling an end that feels definitive.
For a series renowned for its family dramas and iconic TV moments, its stars have chosen to remain in the wings, leaving fans to ponder the end of an era.
'The cast of the current season will need to rely on the storylines that involve their characters because breaking out the cheque book won't cover it,' an insider told Daily Mail Australia.
They added Margot and Kylie were not paid for their appearance in the 2022 finale, which made them even less thrilled about returning.
'The mega stars waived their usual million dollar fees and felt like they were waving goodbye to the show that launched them. It was very classy,' they said of the 2022 finale.
'The fact that Alan Fletcher, Jackie Woodburn and Ryan Maloney were tipped off as the show was saved during Neighbours' "farewell tour" was pretty awkward in retrospect.
'However, it was a little too late to call everyone who bought into the farewell episodes. Longtime fans will probably choose to remember the excellent tribute Network Ten pulled off in 2022.
'The only thing left to make any noise at this point would be to kill off legacy characters and the decision makers know that would not be fair to the remaining fans who returned to the show for these encore seasons.'
News that iconic Australian soap Neighbours had been pulled by streaming giant Amazon has left fans heartbroken.
It was revealed that the long-running series will be axed for a second time after production company Fremantle Australia failed to agree to terms with the US-based streamer.
The official Neighbours X account shared the news, revealing the final episodes would air in December.
'We are sad to announce that Neighbours will be resting from December 2025,' the post read.
'New episodes from the 40th anniversary season will continue to air on Prime Video and Ten four times a week until the end of the year, with all the big soapie twists and turns that our viewers love.'
Neighbours nearly ended forever two years ago when Channel 5, who part funded the soap for UK viewers, pulled out of their deal.
The final episode aired on July 29, 2022, and saw very famous faces return and there were epic cameos made by Holly Valance, Natalie Imbruglia and Ian Smith, as they reprised their roles.
The 2022 finale proved to be a huge hit as a peak of almost 3million UK viewers tuned in to watch lovebirds Scott (Jason) and Charlene (Kylie) back in Erinsborough.
In Australia, the episode, which was aired on Channel 10 and 10 Peach, drew 873,000 metro viewers across both stations, largely thanks to the cast of returning favourites.
And mere months after its success, it was confirmed that Amazon Freevee had given the show another lease of life and brought it back under revamped production.
The newly-rebooted Neighbours premiered on Amazon in September 2023, but just less than two years on, it will be leaving screens for good.
The soap, which followed the lives of the denizens of fictional Melbourne cul-de-sac Ramsay Street, had captivated audiences for an astonishing 40 years.
Neighbours was aired on Freevee worldwide, but Amazon axed the free, ad-supported streaming service late last year, folding it under its Prime Video banner.