Neighbours producer teases "optimistic" finale and reflects on soap's legacy after 40 years

After more than 40 years on air, the time has come to bid farewell to Neighbours – again.

The iconic Australian soap survived the axe from 5 in 2022 and was revived by Amazon a year later, only for the streaming giant to announce in February that it was pulling the plug on the reboot.

As the show’s loyal fans commiserate the end of an era, anticipation is high for the Neighbours finale’s release on 11th December.

In an exclusive interview with RadioTimes.com, the soap’s executive producer Jason Herbison teases what viewers can expect, and candidly reflects on the challenge of crafting a second swansong, his feelings on the show’s demise and what he would have done differently.

Did you approach the 2025 finale differently from the 2022 one?

I approached the ending very differently this time. I knew I couldn’t compete with 2022 or do the same thing twice.

What can you tell us about the final scene?

It’s somewhat of an homage to the finale 2022 scene, however it involves a small cast this time. Jackie Woodburne (aka Susan Kennedy) made me cry in 2022 and she’s done it again in 2025! I was on set when we shot it.

How would you describe the atmosphere on the final day of filming?

We all hugged and shed a tear – it was very emotional. After the final scene, we gathered in Studio A, exactly as we did in 2022. For those of us present on both occasions, it was incredibly surreal.

You can’t go through the same thing twice and feel exactly the same way, I believe. Most of all, this time, we felt a sense of gratitude. We all thought the show ended for good in 2022 and the Amazon era has been a wonderful bonus.

Paul and Terese are at the centre of the final week, what makes this couple work so well?

The all-important X-factor! Some pairings just have great chemistry, while others don’t. We have tried putting them with other people but they always end up back together. I think these obstacles are what makes them work, too.

If they were together and happy all the time, it would be boring. Full credit to Stefan Dennis and Rebekah Elmaloglou, who bring their own real-life charm and naughtiness to the roles – and I do mean naughty!

Stefan Dennis gets the last line in the finale – was it hard to choose which actor had that honour?

Stefan asked me if he could have the last line long before I’d even written the episode. It wasn’t a tough decision – he’s a legend and he deserves it.

How important was it to return to the Ramsay/Robinson feud for the finale?

I’m a big believer in honouring the history of the show. The Ramsay/Robinson feud has been a great foundation for conflict over the years and it felt full-circle to come back to it. I was hoping to bring all of Paul’s living kids back for the finale but when that didn’t work, I realised it would be fun to have Jimmy and Max as young rivals – chips off the old block and the next generation.

In the way that Mike and Clive sparring was old-school Neighbours in the 2022 finale, the hijinks here are intentional throwbacks to the style of the '80s.

Without spoiling too much, what can you tease about how the show ends?

The mood is optimism. We shot the finale back in July so of course, there are lots of spoilers out there already, but the actual dialogue itself hasn’t leaked so hopefully that will be a surprise to viewers.

I couldn’t help but play with that sense of deja-vu. We have been here before, right? The threat to the street is an echo of what is happening to the show itself. Unlike last time, we were actively starting to pack up our studios in Nunawading as the last episodes were shot. I personally found this very emotional and wanted to bring that sentiment to the finale.

Which storyline from the Amazon era are you proudest of?

I enjoyed the recent return of Darcy Tyler and how it dovetailed into Jane and Amanda’s story arc. It was always great to give Karl a big, dramatic arc.

Similarly, I loved the way Holly and Andrew’s affair dovetailed into Cara and Greg’s story. I always strive to fold in every character in the street and have long-lasting repercussions for every major event that happens.

Were you worried about the reaction to the Holly/Andrew affair?

No more than I would be for any controversial story. Soaps aren’t meant to please audiences all the time, you have to take risks. Characters need to be flawed and there has to be conflict, drama and shocks along the way. If there’s not, you are rightly criticised for being boring and predictable.

I do regret we were unable to secure Natalie Bassingthwaighte to reprise her role as Izzy – there was a return planned but the story arc still played without it.

Holly came into her own as a leading lady in this era, why did the audience respond to her so strongly?

Lucinda Armstrong-Hall did an incredible job bringing Holly back to life in the reboot, complete with the character’s glorious imperfections. I loved how she was a chip off the Izzy block and trying to be herself, yet her worst instincts kept getting the better of her.

We had the Andrew affair storyline planned a while ago and started to chip away at Holly’s self-esteem to get her in the right emotional place. The story was meant to launch in the 40th anniversary week but we had to delay it. Holly’s a great soap character – trouble finds her and Lucinda played the role in a very real, multi-dimensional way.

The Varga-Murphys were breakout stars of the Amazon era, what made them so popular?

We were incredibly fortunate to cast two amazing actors, Sara West and Naomi Rukavina, as Cara and Remi, along with two new talents, Marley Williams (Dex) and Riley Bryant (JJ) , as the boys.

They all worked hard to make the family feel authentic and it paid off. I know there was some criticism of Remi’s recent amnesia storyline and that’s valid, no fault of the actors. We had a much bigger story planned but ran out of time to play out the full scope. There is a nice ending for the family and I’m sure they’ll be long remembered.

Across the 40 years, is there a single character that defines Neighbours for you?

I can only single out the street. It’s the glue that keeps everyone together – the connective tissue.

A few months on, how do you feel about Neighbours ending in this way?

I’m in a very different head space now and feel very at peace with it all. The ending was a challenge but I hope the loyal fans can appreciate why I’ve gone the way I did. My only regret is that I didn’t have another week of the show – it was a squeeze to wrap up all the stories. Very much like the last time.

You’ve already worked with Jackie Woodburne since Neighbours ended on The Imposter – which other cast would you like to collaborate with again in the future?

That’s a long list! The great thing about The Imposter is that Jackie is playing a role that is the total opposite of Susan. Wouldn’t it be great to see Stefan or Alan Fletcher (aka Karl) in a new kind of role too?

One of my absolute favourites from over the years is Morgana O’Reilly (aka Naomi Canning), who was recently in The White Lotus. I would love to work with her again.

Which UK soap would you like to work on and why?

EastEnders – so I can live in London! I have a British passport through my parents but have never put it to use.

Finally, how would you sum up the legacy of Neighbours?

Neighbours changed the landscape of serial television in both Australia and the UK. We had stripped serials down under before, but never with the blend of comedy, romance and drama that Neighbours served up.

The show tapped into something and Home and Away and all the British soaps followed, at least in terms of weekly output.

I’m often told that Neighbours is one of the few shows to retain its original DNA and I like that. We’ve stayed true to our roots but also moved with the times.

I’m personally very proud of how progressive the show has become. Our motto is that everyone is welcome on Ramsay Street and I have tried to stand by that. I thank the fans for sticking with us – we will always have those memories.

Read more:

• Neighbours finale week: Tragedy strikes as a further 9 old faces return to say goodbye to Ramsay Street
• Neighbours spoilers reveal finale story as 9 old characters return to Ramsay Street
• Neighbours wraps after 40 years - as boss drops hint of "hopeful" future
• Neighbours star teases Terese and Paul's future and 40th anniversary cast comebacks
• Neighbours star reveals whether they think axed soap can be saved again

Neighbours is available to stream on Prime Video.

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