The cast of Neighbours and fans of the show descended on London this weekend for The Neighbours Experience, an immersive exhibition celebrating the return to Erinsborough and looking back on 38 years of Ramsay Street history.
Some of the team at RamsayStreet.co.uk were lucky enough to experience the exhibition, standing behind the desk at Lassiters, catching up on the gossip in the Kennedy’s living room and working on new stories in a recreation of the writers’ room.
Events like this have become popular in recent years for different TV shows and movie franchises, but The Neighbours Experience felt different in many ways. The most overwhelming feeling in attending the exhibition was its authenticity. Every tiny detail was accurate and it was obvious that the creative team behind it knew the show inside-out. It paid homage to every era of the show, with details of the show’s first ever episode in 1985 through to the 2022 finale, with the costumes worn by Mike and Jane (Guy Pearce and Annie Jones) in that episode on display. Karl’s model tram, gifted to him by his half-sister, Jemima, was on display in the living room set and a well-watched DVD of Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares! Fans loved seeing the actual wedding dress worn by Kylie Minogue in 1987 as Charlene married Scott in one of television’s most memorable weddings ever.
Also, it was free. Rather than a money-spinning exercise, the exhibition felt like a love letter to the fans. It is no secret that Neighbours fans are a passionate bunch. Upon arrival everyone got to enjoy a complimentary coffee in Harold’s Cafe, a stunning replica of the famous coffee shop. You were never rushed. It was very laid back and the staff at venue from the hostess at the entrance through to the actors portraying crew on the show overflowed with enthusiasm and helped feed our own excitement. There was no gift shop. Souvenir photos were given without charge. This wasn’t a money-making exercise. It felt like Neighbours saying thank you to the fans and Amazon Freevee screaming “We are here” from the rooftops.
The exhibition began with a welcome from the show’s Executive Producer, Jason Herbison:
“We’re so excited to bring a slice of Erinsborough to London. Neighbours would not be what it is without the love and devotion of the fans… this experience is for you. From this point onward, you are a resident of Ramsay Street. Which means you get your coffee at Harold’s, you drink at the Waterhole and you’re always grappling with a dilemma. Well, you might need to imagine that last part, but Susan Kennedy will be on hand to listen and give advice.
We’ve also included lots of behind-the-scenes secrets as you move around the experience. We hope you enjoy this little taste of down under Thanks for watching – and keep watching.”
One of the most popular parts of the exhibition was the opportunity for fans to leave graffiti on the back of the sets. There were plenty of people sharing their love for the show, shout-outs to beloved characters and Lisa Elliot as well as people reminiscing about their favorite stories from over the years. Some of the highlights included a proclamation of “There was no blood!” and our own Ruairi asking for access to Ned Willis’ Fandangle account.
Overall, this was an excellent experience for anyone who has ever watched and loved Neighbours. It really felt like a huge hug, as a fan. Whoever was the creative genius behind the exhibits deserves special mention, everything was absolutely perfect, the thoughtfulness into the exhibits was clear to see. The venue organisation was faultless and every single person we saw left with a huge smile on their face and a heart filled with excitement for the new chapter of Neighbours. (The free coffee at Harold’s was pretty decent too!)
Not only have Amazon Freevee invested in The Neighbours Experience, but a full promotional blitz is underway across the country, with cast members appearing on TV and radio shows and trailers for the new episodes appearing on streaming services and network TV, a Neighbours advert even appearing in the middle of Friday night’s edition of Coronation Street. Everyone in the country, by now, should also have seen the great ad campaign on bus shelters and billboards. Check out the post on our Twitter/X account of people sharing their pictures of these ads and please feel free to add your own.
The general feeling among fans is that the show wasn’t respected or given enough promotion by Channel 5 over the last few years. If this early commitment from Amazon is anything to by, it can only mean great things for the future of Australia’s longest-running drama series. The huge success of the sell-out Neighbours Celebration Tour earlier this year, the response to The Neighbours Experience and the media frenzy around Neighbours returns gives us a little hope that we may be able to celebrate the show again, in an even bigger and better way, for the 40th anniversary in March 2025.
New episodes of Neighbours will be available to watch on Amazon Freevee and Amazon Prime Video starting on September 18th. A new episode will drop at 7am each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The show is completely free to watch and you don’t even need to create an Amazon account. Check out our guide on how to view Neighbours on your Smart TV, Mobile Device, Computer, Streaming Device or even selected Gaming Consoles.