This article contains major spoilers from the Neighbours finale.
Neighbours said farewell with the “perfect blend” of nostalgia and sentiment as its last ever episode aired in the UK on Friday night.
Fans of the Australian soap were left beside themselves as the show came to an end after 37 years with a poignant monologue from long-standing Ramsay Street resident Susan Kennedy, played by Jackie Woodburne.
The emotional scene came as a roll call of former Ramsay Street residents returned to their old stomping ground to see Neighbours off in style, including the likes of Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan and Guy Pearce.
After much hype, Kylie and Jason finally reprised their roles as 80s power couple Scott and Charlene Robinson, granting long-term fans their wish 34 years after their last appearance.
There was not much dialogue from the pair, however, with Kylie only being given five words to say: “Home, sweet home”, “Jane!” and “Harold!”
Elsewhere, the show reunited another of its beloved pairings, as Jane Harris (Annie Jones) agreed to give things a go with her former love Mike Young, played Guy Pearce, who jetted in from Hollywood to film scenes for the soap’s swan song.
He was not the only big movie star to feature though, as Margot Robbie reprised her breakthrough role as Donna Freedman in a montage of video messages sent in for Erinsborough stalwart Toadie Rebecchi’s wedding to Melanie Pearson.
Natalie Imbruglia and Holly Valance also filmed a special scene together from London to pay tribute to their characters Beth Brennan and Flick Scully.
As a number of residents old and current gathered outside to celebrate Toadie and Mel’s nuptials, Susan Kennedy could be seen looking affectionately at her friends and neighbours, as actor Jackie Woodburne narrated a moving entry into the Ramsay Street History Book – a device that featured throughout the final weeks of the show.
“How do you begin to describe a street?” she began. “Do you talk about the houses? The bricks and mortar, the gardens and the trees?
“Or do you talk about the people? The young, the old and everyone in between? Where do you begin with the history? Your own or those who came before you?
“When we moved to Ramsay Street, the community was already here. The Ramsays, the Robinsons. The stories from those early days are legendary, and their legacy still lives on today.
“There have been many families over the years, of all shapes and sizes. Some of them unexpected. And friends who became like family, whether they were related or not.
“Love has always been a central theme. How many romances were born on this street?”
She continued: “The street always has a way of bringing people back. Then I think of the people who can’t come back. The people gone too soon. How would they look if they were still alive today? If they’d been allowed to reach their potential? So many people that were lost…”
Viewers were then given glimpses of actors Terence Donovan, Anne Charleston, Eve Morey and Benny Turland as their beloved late characters Doug Willis, Madge Bishop, Sonya Rebecchi and Hendrix Grayson appeared as ghosts.
In a nod to the show’s loyal fanbase, Susan continued: “Everyone deserves a place in the history of Ramsay Street, even those who watched us from afar...”
“Together, we have been the perfect blend,” Susan emotionally concluded, with a reference to the show’s iconic theme tune, the original version of which began playing as Barry Crocker’s vocals were heard over Ramsay Street for the final time.
“Susan? Where were you just now?” her husband Karl said, interrupting her daydream.
“I was home,” she answered.
As the Neighbours continued their street party, the show was consigned to TV history as its 37-year run closed out with a special photo montage and a remix of various versions of its theme tune.
Fans were left bereft but considered the ending to be the perfect goodbye...
Neighbours was axed after 37 years back in March when a search for a new UK broadcast partner proved unsuccessful, leaving Australia’s Network 10 with a funding shortfall.
Channel 5 – who contributed to most of the soap’s production costs – had previously announced it would cease airing the show here in the UK, where it has been far more popular in recent years.
However, when the final episode aired in Australia on Thursday evening, it pulled in Neighbours’ highest rating Down Under in 13 years, as 1.2 million visited the eternally sunny suburb of Erinsborough one last time.
Neighbours: The Finale is available to watch on My5.