Soap stars pay tribute to Neighbours as it ends filming

Some of the UK’s biggest soap stars spoke about the “revolutionary” Neighbours coming to an end at this year’s British Soap Awards.

By Lauren Morris

Published: Wednesday, 15 June 2022 at 12:00 am

The stars of some of the UK’s biggest soaps have paid tribute to Neighbours ahead of its last episodes, just days after the long-running Australian soap’s finale was filmed.

Speaking to RadioTimes.com in exclusive interviews at the British Soap Awards, the likes of Coronation Street‘s Daniel Brocklebank (Billy Mayhew), Rebecca Ryan (Lydia Chambers), Jack James Ryan (Jacob Hay) and Charlie de Melo (Imran Habeeb) revealed what Neighbours meant to them as viewers.

Georgia Taylor, who plays Toyah Battersby on the ITV soap, said: “It was the biggest thing when I was growing up. Everyone would race home from school, watch it, and you’d be talking about it the next day. So it was just part of my childhood so I feel bereft for them as a company – I don’t know what that must feel like.”

Meanwhile, Millie Gibson (Kelly Neelan), Bill Fellows (Stu Carpenter) and Paddy Beaver (Max Turner) spoke about Neighbours coming to a close, with Julia Goulding (Shona Ramsey) adding: “I just think they’re amazing and it’s a crying shame that it’s not being made anymore because it’s an institution.”

EastEnders stars Shona McGarty (Whitney Dean) and Zaraah Abrahams (Chelsea Fox) also spoke about Neighbours making it into “the history books” as a major soap, with Abrahams telling RadioTimes.com: “They’re such an incredible show, they’ve represented so many incredible storylines, such talented actors and we absolutely salute them. They’ll be missed.”

Hollyoaks‘ Annie Wallace (Sally St. Claire) paid tribute to the “revolutionary soap” too, saying: “It was the first one of the ’80s that showed Australian life and vim and vigour, and of course so many stars have come from that.”

She continued: “Let’s hope that everyone here gets to continue because what would we do without the soaps?”