Neighbours legend Guy Pearce snipes at 'expensive' so-called finale

Former Neighbours star Guy Pearce as Mike Young
(Image credit: Getty)

Neighbours legend Guy Pearce has hit out after the soap's "finale" he went back for turned out not to be the last episode following Amazon’s decision to save the show.

The Hollywood star made a much-trumpeted return as Mike Young alongside fellow former stars Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan, and Margot Robbie.

But the Guardian reports that Guy appeared bemused at the news that Amazon was now reviving the Aussie soap. He joked that Margot Robbie might like the champagne she sent the show’s producers returned!

Presenting at an Australian awards show, Guy quipped: "It’s hard to watch isn’t it? Knowing we’ll never see another episode again. A painful reminder the things we love can be snatched away, never to return… unless Amazon comes in to save the day and makes our finale look a rather expensive exercise."

Group shot of Neighbours cast

Neighbours will be back in 2023 (Image credit: Channel 5)

Amazon has separately made it clear that it only decided to save the soap after it finished. 

Variety reports Shahina O’Mahoney, head of licensed content for Amazon Freevee U.K, as saying: "At that point that the show ended, we did not know that we could save it. In an ideal world, maybe you do announce something like that before it ends, but that wasn’t an option for us.”

While Neighbours fans are delighted the show is heading back, the fact remains some viewers will be miffed that they tuned in to the soap's finale only to discover it wasn’t.

Guy spoke to What to Watch about his love for Neighbours for his return. 

About being on the set again, he said: "It was surreal! I’m an incredibly nostalgic person anyway, so I’ve always wanted to step back into Neighbours at some stage and, with the sad news that the show is finishing, it seemed like the appropriate time. 

"Thankfully, I was planning a trip back home anyway, so it just worked. Kate Winslet is a huge fan of the show and is literally wetting herself that I’m back. She was besotted with Mike back in the day. When I told her I was coming back, she was beside herself.”

Neigbours will return on Freevee in late 2023. 

David Hollingsworth
Editor

David is the What To Watch Editor and has over 20 years of experience in television journalism. He is currently writing about the latest television and film news for What To Watch.

Before working for What To Watch, David spent many years working for TV Times magazine, interviewing some of television's most famous stars including Hollywood actor Kiefer Sutherland, singer Lionel Richie and wildlife legend Sir David Attenborough. 

David started out as a writer for TV Times before becoming the title's deputy features editor and then features editor. During his time on TV Times, David also helped run the annual TV Times Awards. David is a huge Death in Paradise fan, although he's still failed to solve a case before the show's detective! He also loves James Bond and controversially thinks that Timothy Dalton was an excellent 007.

Other than watching and writing about telly, David loves playing cricket, going to the cinema, trying to improve his tennis and chasing about after his kids!