Australian soap Neighbours tops internet search results in UK – after fans raged when the show was taken off the air in Britain over Christmas
It may be an iconic Australian soap opera, but Neighbours is certainly big in the United Kingdom.
The long-running show has topped the list of most searched terms on Yahoo UK for 2020.
The most looked up term was ‘Neighbours’ at number one, followed by ‘Des’ – a British three-part television drama miniseries which aired this year.
Winners are grinners! It may be an iconic Australian soap opera, but Neighbours is certainly big in the United Kingdom. The long-running show has topped the list of most searched terms on Yahoo UK for 2020. Pictured: Tim Robards
In third position was The Masked Singer, followed by Killing Eve in fourth and Love Island in fifth.
The upsurge in searches for Neighbours could have to do with the soap being taken off the air in Britain over Christmas.
Viewers in the UK were left fuming after the British Twitter account for Neighbours confirmed the series was taking a break from December 23 to January 4.
Stars! The most looked up term was ‘Neighbours’ at number one, followed by ‘Des’ – a British three-part television drama miniseries which aired this year. Pictured: The cast
Gone! The upsurge in searches for Neighbours could have to do with the soap being taken off the air in Britain over Christmas. Pictured (L to R) Jane Allsop, Ben Turland, Tim Robards and April Rose Pengilly
Fans expressed their disappointment over the news, as episodes in the UK are already lagging behind Australia due to production delays caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
‘Disgusting. Absolutely no respect for the loyal fans. Instead of shortening the gap you’re going to make it bigger,’ one viewer commented.
Another tweeted: ‘Is that a joke? I’m so p**sed off, so now we’re going to be five weeks behind! When I saw the schedule update, I assumed we’d be getting double episodes. Great way to treat fans, that’ll now watch online and you’ll lose viewers.’
Anger: Viewers in the UK were left fuming after the British Twitter account for Neighbours confirmed the series was taking a break from December 23 to January 4
‘This is a joke, we are already three weeks behind! Time for double episodes please,’ a third furious fan wrote.
‘This is ridiculous. It said that Neighbours is all year round and no Christmas break so that everyone in the UK can catch up,’ a viewer tweeted.
Another echoed: ‘This makes no sense! I understand the break when production stopped but this is just a break for the sake of a break which will make everything further behind. We’ve only just watched Halloween! Not happy.’
One Neighbours fan has also launched a Change.org petition demanding Channel 5, the network that airs the series in the UK, continue playing the soap over Christmas.
Dedicated: One Neighbours fan has also launched a Change.org petition demanding Channel 5, the network that airs the series in the UK, continue playing the soap over Christmas. Pictured Stefan Dennis and Rebekah Elmaloglou