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Last Updated: Tuesday, 22 January 2008, 10:43 GMT
Five to have Australian soap hour
A recent scene from Neighbours
Neighbours has been broadcast twice daily by the BBC for 22 years
TV channel Five is to screen Australian soaps Neighbours and Home and Away back-to-back each weekday afternoon and evening from next month.

The broadcaster won the rights to show Neighbours after the BBC decided the series was becoming too expensive.

From 11 February, Neighbours will be seen at 1345 and 1730, with Home and Away following at 1415 and 1800.

Five's half-hour news programme, hosted by former BBC presenter Natasha Kaplinsky, will move to 1700.

Kaplinsky will also front a second bulletin at 1900 every weeknight.

Neighbours has been shown twice daily on BBC One since 1986, with the two screenings attracting a total of about five million viewers.

Stefan Dennis
Stefan Dennis has revived his Neighbours role as Paul Robinson
Last May, however, the BBC said it could no longer justify the amount of money it was being asked to pay for the show.

Peter Fincham, the BBC One controller at the time, said the price had trebled to �300m for an eight-year deal.

"We would have loved to have kept it, but not at any price," he explained.

Five heralded its acquisition of Neighbours by promising it would be "a greatly prized part of our schedule".

The broadcaster's managing editor of content, Lisa Opie, said the soap would be "suitably cherished" by Five.

SEE ALSO
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17 Jan 08 |  Entertainment
BBC commissions new Aussie soap
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Five wins Neighbours soap fight
18 May 07 |  Entertainment
Channel Five - 10 years young
30 Mar 07 |  Entertainment
Neighbours role for Lou and Andy
05 Mar 07 |  Entertainment

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