Saturday 11 June 2022 10:55 PM Neighbours fans left in tears as British Soap Awards pays tribute trends now
Neighbours fans were left 'absolutely broken' and in tears on Saturday as the British Soap Awards paid tribute to the axed show.
The long-running Australian programme came to an end after Channel 5 decided in March not to renew its contract with production company Fremantle to finance and broadcast the series.
Ahead of it's emotional star-studded final episode this autumn, Phillip Schofield introduced a tribute to the Ramsay Street soap early in proceedings at the star-studded bash.
End of an era: Neighbours fans were left 'absolutely broken' on Saturday night as the British Soap Awards paid tribute to the axed soap (Jackie Woodburne and Ian Bishop pictured)
In a pre-recorded clip, Jackie Woodburne, who plays Susan Kennedy thanked the soap's British fanbase for tuning in for all these years.
She said: 'For 37 years, despite being on the other side of the world from one another, you soap fans in the UK have very much been a part of our special community here.
'Neighbours has meant the world to me. For 28 years I've come here everyday to do the thing that I love with people who have become family and I hope along the way we have become part of your family too.'
The awards ceremony then aired an epic montage clip of the soap's highlight's over the decades, featuring Hollywood stars including Margot Robbie and Liam Hemsworth.
End of an era: The entire cast of Neighbours posed for their final group photo together to mark their last ever day of filming in Melbourne on Thursday
Fans tuning in were left emotional and flocked to Twitter to grieve the loss of the soap.
One wrote: 'The #Neighbours tribute has absolutely broken me. One of the best of the best of soap operas, and it'll be one of biggest losses to the TV landscape we'll ever see. A true telly icon and institutions that should've run forever. #SoapAwards.'
Another tweeted: 'Beautiful #Neighbours montage. My heart goes out to all the cast who have sadly lost their jobs. It really is the end of an era. #SoapAwards.'
'Phenomenal acting, excellent production and storylines... Well miss you @neighbours', a fan said.
It's all over: Fans were left in tears as they said goodbye to their favourite soap
A heartbroken social media user posted: 'I literally cried watching that montage neighbours is going to be missed'
While a super fan said: 'I'm going to miss Neighbours so much as I have been a fan and watching it for 22 years now just one the greatest show. #Neighbours'.
The British Soap Award returned live to ITV for the first time in two years after the 2020 and 2021 ceremonies were cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
In its place in 2020, ITV instead aired a 60-minute special titled The British Soap Awards Celebrates 21 Years, narrated by long-running presenter Phillip Schofield.
This year, host Phillip Schofield, 60, welcomed a plethora of soap stars to London's Hackney Empire, where they'll battle it out to scoop prizes in 14 categories.
Upset: Fans tuning in were left emotional and flocked to Twitter to grieve the loss of the soap
The awards are either voted for by a panel of expert judges or the public, with fans able to choose their favourites for Best British Soap, Best Leading Performer and Best Family categories.
Meanwhile, it was reported earlier this year that The British Soap Awards opted to axe the male and female categories.
Instead of Best Actor and Actress, stars from much-loved British soaps will battle it out for the newly-created new Best Leading Performer award.
The move follows The Brits which scrapped gender classifications this year, with Adele beating Ed Sheeran to Artist of the Year.
Past winners of the Best Actress award include Lucy Pargeter (who plays Chas Dingle in Emmerdale), Lucy Fallon (who plays Bethany Platt in Coronation Street) and Charlotte Bellamy (who plays Laurel
