Neighbours finale: The other soaps we've loved and lost
The final episode of Neighbours is set to air tonight – but the Aussie favourite is far from the only soap on the block.
After 37 years of drama and heartache, time has finally been called on the residents of Ramsay Street, with the grand finale of the incredibly popular series hitting our screens this evening.
Chronicling the shenanigans of the world's favourite Australian families since 1985, Neighbours has introduced the planet to a plethora of stars set for monumental fame – including Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce, Margot Robbie, and of course, Kylie and Jason.
Fans across the globe will undoubtedly have tears in their eyes today over the loss of one of the TV world's most cherished shows. But as we get misty-eyed, its also time to pay homage to a few of the other soap opera sensations that over the years have come to the end of the road, and some of those that are still burning as brightly as ever.
SOAPS WE HAVE LOST
Crossroads
Set right here in the Midlands, this tale of turbulence at a fictional motel entertained the masses from 1964 to 1988.
Though its name became a byword for cheap production values, Crossroads delighted huge audiences during its original run, with ratings sometimes as high as 15 million viewers.
Though a brief noughties revival was ill-fated, the original remains a classic we'd love to check-in to again.
Brookside
A classic that broke the hearts of many when it came to an end in 2003, Brookside had kept fans hooked for 21 years with tales of love, life and loss in Liverpool.
With stars including Sue Johnson and Ricky Tomlinson having called the fabled close home, like Neighbours this one put plenty of talented actors our way.
In 2020, Scouse-starlet Jodie Comer famously called for a Brookie comeback. Could the future see a return for the much-missed Merseyside melodrama? We're keeping our fingers firmly crossed...
Eldorado
The golden glamour of life on the Costa Eldorado – where there's sunshine, there's scandal.
Created with the specific purpose of providing a British answer to the sunny setting of Neighbours and Home and Away, Eldorado followed the ups and downs of a community of ex-pats living in Spain.
Alas, it had little time to make a dent in the armour of the Aussie soaps, with the show being cancelled in 1993 after only a one-year run.
Though this one failed to strike gold, we shall honour it as part of our soap heritage nonetheless.
Albion Market
It can be a life's work on a market – though unfortunately this one was destined to be open only for a year.
Intended as a companion show to Coronation Street, Albion Market launched on ITV in 1985 and the plug was pulled after just 12 months.
Plots centred around the daily dramas of the Salford market's stallholders sadly failed to pull in the viewers. It was a big dream, but there's only one Corrie, after all.
Waggoners' Walk
A radio hit that ran from 1969 to 1980, Waggoners' Walk treated listeners to the shenanigans of a fictional Hampstead cul-de-sac.
Introduced as a successor to the long-running The Dales, the show was cancelled after an 11 year run as part of a number of economies made by the BBC.
One that was unafraid of tackling juicy topics and hard-hitting storylines, Waggoners' Walk is one that our ears most definitely miss.
Sons and Daughters
An Aussie soap that only enjoyed a six-season run, Sons and Daughters was popular during the 80s and will be best remembered for its constant cliffhangers and star of the show, Pat 'the rat' Hamilton.
A tale of two families – the wealthy Hamiltons and the working class Palmers, Sons and Daughters was Australia's juicy answer to Dallas, and remains much-missed.
Howards' Way
A five-year thriller that disappeared from our screens in 1990, Howards' Way delighted viewers with the trials and tribulations of the wealthy yachting and business communities of a fictional town on the English south coast.
An attempt to replicate the glamour of glossy American sagas like Dynasty, Howards' Way didn't quite hit the mark in this regard, but we miss it all the same.
The Young Doctors
With the main backdrops of a hospital and a nightclub, Aussie favourite The Young Doctors charted the romantic toils and troubles of a fresh-faced generation of medics.
Running from 1976 to 1983, when the series ended after 1,397 episodes, it in fact held the record of Australia's longest-running commercial television drama serial. Young doctors, we salute you.
Triangle
Forget the pavements of Ramsay Street and those famous Corrie cobbles. In fact, forget dry land altogether – if you want to make a soap with a difference, set it on a boat.
A gem of the 80s that sadly only ran for three series, Triangle was filmed as well as set aboard a North Sea ferry. A novel idea perhaps, yet one that unsurprisingly came with its fair share of production issues.
However, thanks to the valiant efforts and commitment of the cast, the series was a solid gold member of the soap pantheon, and one we'd resurrect in a heartbeat.
THE ONES STILL GOING STRONG
EastEnders
"Get outta my pab!" Though the show has never been quite the same since the departure of the late, great Dame Barbara Windsor, EastEnders (like Neighbours) has been keeping viewers entertained since 1985. From Who Shot Phil to You're-Not-My-Mother-Yes-I-Am, Albert Square has delivered us some truly iconic moments and plot lines over the years, and long may it continue to do so.
The Archers
With a tally of over 19,500 episodes, the world's longest-running soap isn't even one you can watch – but you can listen.
Having begun its gargantuan run way back in 1951, The Archers has kept BBC Radio listeners entertained with "an everyday story of country folk" for over 70 years.
Still airing six episodes a week, this charming take on the goings on of the rural Midlands is nothing less than a national institution we hope will bounce in with that iconic intro for evermore.
Home and Away
Another Aussie favourite – and one that introduced future megastars including Isla Fisher, Naomi Watts, and Thor himself, Chris Hemsworth – Home and Away has been part of the furniture since 1988.
Set in New South Wales, this one is still going strong and will now carry even more of the weight of Aussie-soap fans in need of their fix.
Let's hope the tide doesn't go out on Summer Bay anytime soon. You know we belong together...
Emmerdale
One of the most beloved northern soaps of all, Emmerdale (née Emmerdale Farm) first hit our screens in 1972, and for an incredible 50 years has brought us the drama, dysfunction and dastardly deeds of the Yorkshire Dales.
An ITV favourite that still keeps viewers enraptured three nights a week, this delicious peek behind the doors of a supposedly quiet village shows no sign of slowing down yet.
With its golden anniversary this October, it's time to get down to The Woolpack and raise a toast to 50 years more.
Coronation Street
The macdaddy of them all, Coronation Street has brought us the chaos of the cobbles since 1960.
Having run for an amazing 62 years, this one has spent six decades taking fans on an emotional rollercoaster featuring tram crashes, teenage pregnancies, and the occasional royal appearance.
If for nothing other than bringing us the iconic and immortal Betty's Hotpot, this one should be at the top of every soap fan's list, and a destination for all those looking for some new good neighbours to become good friends.
