Channel 5 announces Neighbours and Home and Away will soon be aired THREE times a week

Neighbours

There will be another change to soap schedules at the end of the month...

Neighbours and Home and Away fans have been trying to get their heads around when their favourite Australian soaps are on since scheduling was thrown into chaos following the coronavirus outbreak.

With filming grinding to a halt as production studios followed the social distancing rules from the government, all soaps have been running a reduced schedule to make sure fans can enjoy their favourite shows on screen for as long as possible.

Neighbours, Shane Rebecchi, Dipi Rebecchi, Yashvi Rebecchi, Mackenzie Hargreaves

You will soon be able to catch up on the Ramsay Street dramas three times a week (Picture: Channel 5)

It's not just Neighbours and Home and Away that have been affected.

EastEnders, Coronation Street, Emmerdale and also Hollyoaks have also had their filming interrupted and are showing a reduced number of episodes each week.

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But there is good news today for fans of Neighbours and Home and Away, because Channel 5 has announced plans to increase the current two episodes being shown each week to three.

Home and Away, Mackenzie Booth, Ziggy Astoni

Home and Away will also be shown three times a week from the end of the month (Picture: Channel 5) (Image credit: Channel 5)

Despite the Aussie soaps usually being show five times a week, fans have been getting by on just two episodes.

But the new Monday and Friday scheduling will now see Wednesdays added in, meaning we get to catch up with the drama in sunny Australia three times a week.

The increase in episodes will come at the end of the month, and a Channel 5 spokesperson has confirmed the news...

"We have taken the decision to increase the number of episodes for Neighbours and Home and Away from two to three per week for both soaps.

Neighbours Elly

Neighbours has been airing just twice a week since the coronavirus outbreak (Picture: Channel 5)

"Both programmes will continue to air on Monday and Fridays, with the additional episode airing on Wednesday – effective from Wednesday 29th April."

Neighbours and Home and Away are currently airing a reduced schedule of two episodes a week.

Watch Neighbours on Mondays and Fridays at 1.45pm and 5.30pm, and catch Home and Away on on Mondays and Fridays at 1.15pm and 6pm, both on Channel 5.

Claire Crick
Assistant Managing Editor at What To Watch

Claire is Assistant Managing Editor at What To Watch and has been a journalist for over 15 years, writing about everything from soaps and TV to beauty, entertainment, and even the Royal Family. After starting her career at a soap magazine, she ended up staying for 13 years, and over that time she’s pulled pints in the Rovers Return, sung karaoke in the Emmerdale village hall, taken a stroll around Albert Square, and visited Summer Bay Surf Club in sunny Australia. 

After learning some tricks of the trade at websites Digital Spy, Entertainment Daily, and Woman & Home, Claire landed a role at What’s On TV and whattowatch.com writing about all things TV and film, with a particular love for Aussie soaps, Strictly Come Dancing and Bake Off

She’s interviewed everyone from June Brown — AKA Dot Cotton — to Michelle Keegan, swapped cooking tips with baking legend Mary Berry backstage at the NTAs, and danced the night away with soap stars at countless awards bashes. There’s not a lot she doesn’t know about soaps and TV and can be very handy when a soapy question comes up in a pub quiz! 

As well as all things soap-related, Claire also loves running, spa breaks, days out with her kids, and getting lost in a good book.