H&A, does it deserve the title of longest running Australian soap?

[Homeandawayfan.]

Now that Neighbours is probably being axed, not just Channel 5 but may be totally axed by Fremantle, is H&A's promotion as longest serving Australia drama serial deserved, or should it be a case of "last in and first out?" as H&A is 2 and a half years younger than Neighbours?

H&A is much more successful in Australia than Neighbours, whereas Neighbours is made for the UK audiences, but H&A is also popular in many other countries such as in Ireland etc.

[Red Ranger 1]

I presume you mean it'll be the longest-running Australian drama still being made. Would it be the only "drama serial" still being made? (Disclaimer: Other types of drama do exist.)

[BobbyFridge]

20 hours ago, Homeandawayfan. said:

Now that Neighbours is probably being axed, not just Channel 5 but may be totally axed by Fremantle, is H&A's promotion as longest serving Australia drama serial deserved, or should it be a case of "last in and first out?" as H&A is 2 and a half years younger than Neighbours?

H&A is much more successful in Australia than Neighbours, whereas Neighbours is made for the UK audiences, but H&A is also popular in many other countries such as in Ireland etc.

A couple of posters on the Neighbours forum seem really cut up about the possibility of H&A overtaking Neighbours and one poster did say that Neighbours should be ''first in last out'' The first in last out argument isn't a very good one, life doesn't really work like that. I think H&A deserves it because its been very successful in its own right. Because Neighbours was always more popular in the UK people seem to think H&A just lived in its shadow but H&A has been popular in other countries and Neighbours not as much. H&A has won the most awards at the logies and has the longest serving Aussie soap character. I feel sad for Neighbours fans to lose their show but H&A being axed first just because it was the last one on wouldn't have been deserved at all.

[Red Ranger 1]

If you look at "first in last out" logically, then Neighbours should have been cancelled in 1986 to keep Prisoner (Cell Block H) on the air.

[BobbyFridge]

11 hours ago, Red Ranger 1 said:

If you look at "first in last out" logically, then Neighbours should have been cancelled in 1986 to keep Prisoner (Cell Block H) on the air.

Indeed yes. Kath Maxwell was getting ready to be the new Bea Smith and then she was cut down in her prime!

[James Martin]

20 hours ago, Red Ranger 1 said:

If you look at "first in last out" logically, then Neighbours should have been cancelled in 1986 to keep Prisoner (Cell Block H) on the air.

Let's not forget Neighbours was cancelled around that time - by the Seven Network!

Ten picked it up, it became a hit, managed to sell it to the UK and Seven realised they'd made a mistake.  The result was Home & Away!

[Homeandawayfan.]

On 08/02/2022 at 10:13, BobbyFridge said:

A couple of posters on the Neighbours forum seem really cut up about the possibility of H&A overtaking Neighbours and one poster did say that Neighbours should be ''first in last out'' The first in last out argument isn't a very good one, life doesn't really work like that. I think H&A deserves it because its been very successful in its own right. Because Neighbours was always more popular in the UK people seem to think H&A just lived in its shadow but H&A has been popular in other countries and Neighbours not as much. H&A has won the most awards at the logies and has the longest serving Aussie soap character. I feel sad for Neighbours fans to lose their show but H&A being axed first just because it was the last one on wouldn't have been deserved at all.

By 1992/1993 H&A was getting 15 to 17 million viewers on ITV, and was starting to whip Neighbours in the ratings, and even starting to whip Corrie, as an episode of Corrie (minus omnibus) was watched by about 15 million. H&A was caning it.

Although H&A was not created from scratch in late 1986 as I found out, the idea for H&A was being thought of in 1985, but Alan Bateman chose the pre existing project as a replacement for Neighbours and S&D. On Channel 7 archives website in the Aug-Sep 1985 file of publicity images and stills, it had current and future shows and H&A was on the list, as was Rafferty's Rules which first broadcast in 1987.

[Marc EH]

If Neighbours ends in August then it will have run for approx.. 37 years and 5 months so surely Home and Away will become the 'longest running Australian soap' in June 2025?

[Homeandawayfan.]

June 2025 will be a month before Alf's 80th birthday as well. And 30 years since Donna Bishop left the Bay.

I think H&A overtaking the overall duration of Neighbours in June 2025 will happen. Neighbours end is nigh whereas H&A is on the up it seems.

[Jezz]

On 08/02/2022 at 21:13, BobbyFridge said:

A couple of posters on the Neighbours forum seem really cut up about the possibility of H&A overtaking Neighbours and one poster did say that Neighbours should be ''first in last out'' The first in last out argument isn't a very good one, life doesn't really work like that. I think H&A deserves it because its been very successful in its own right. Because Neighbours was always more popular in the UK people seem to think H&A just lived in its shadow but H&A has been popular in other countries and Neighbours not as much. H&A has won the most awards at the logies and has the longest serving Aussie soap character. I feel sad for Neighbours fans to lose their show but H&A being axed first just because it was the last one on wouldn't have been deserved at all.

I like both shows (H&A more than Neighbours), but Neighbours has only survived for as long as it has with its UK audience. The show could have been finished several years ago without the support of Channel 5.

If H&A remains popular, then yes it's worthy of the title of "longest running Australian soap".