BBC Threaten to Pull Neighbours

[Jon Ashley]

Long-running Australian soap Neighbours could be dropped by the BBC following protracted negotiations over broadcasting rights.

The BBC said that if agreement was not reached in the "very, very near future" the money would be allocated elsewhere.

It has refused to reveal how much it is offering for the drama, which has been screened twice a day since 1986.

ITV and Five have been connected with bids for the show. Its distributor, Fremantle Media, declined to comment.


No programme is indispensable
BBC spokesman
The BBC's director of acquisitions, George McGhee, told Broadcast magazine: "If a deal is not reached in the very, very near future, we will withdraw the money and move it elsewhere.

"We've made a good offer which is about to be withdrawn."

A BBC spokesman added: "We hope that Neighbours will remain on the BBC but no programme is indispensable and it has to come at the right price."

A spokesman for Fremantle said negotiations over a new contract were ongoing.

Neighbours is the second most popular programme on terrestrial daytime television after the BBC One lunchtime news.

Gutted.

[Warped]

I know some females that will feel the rage when they read this.

[LesMTS]

It'll be bought by another channel. No biggie.

[Jon Ashley]

it'll have bloody adverts through it though

[Devastator]

If it gets pulled I will personally go to the BBC headquarters and punch everyone there in the face - this includes cleaning staff and dinnerladies.

[Dec]

I was gonna come in and post "Bet the QMU will be devastated", until I noticed that this was infact posted in the QMU forum. Russell Grant ain't got shit on me.

[ally.h]

haha. i was sure when your name came up in my usercp on this thread that it would be some comment about the qm, dec.

off-topic, i haven't seen you for ages. you should go to rev more often. it makes me smile. or maybe i will go out on a monday night sometime....

al.

[Christie.]

ITV will buy it and there'll be more breaks for you to go take a piss.

What's the big deal about bbc dumping it?

worse things have happened.

[apunkyprincess]

i will refuse to pay my crap licencing fee if they get rid of neighbours.

[frostbitejunkie]

It's only on for about 20 minutes, they better not fuck it up with adverts, bastards.

[lauraubuggin]

Gah! the one thing in my life that is stable and relaible... gutted

I am so melodramatic this eve

[Exit_W0unds]

It's pish, utter rubbish. Shows like that are partly the reason I cancelled my TV liscence and gave my TV away.

[Trip]

I know. If I'm working close enough to home I always try to catch the lunchtime one, dinner when neighbours is on at night, nap right afterwards, up at 7.

Its totally going to fuck with my life and schedule.

[HeadWired]

I heard channel 5 were interested.

Plus points are that if someone else buys it, we'll probably get an omnibus.

[Trip]

I've often thought that. The should have a neighbours omnibus.