Neighbours star Stefan Dennis shares concerns over future of soaps

 Is the end of the Ramsay Street soap a warning for the others?

In news that has been impossible to miss, Neighbours has wrapped filming for good and will air its final episode on August 1. But are other soaps set to meet a similar fate?

In a piece written for WA Today, star Stefan Dennis has been talking about that very subject, while also lamenting the events that led to his own show being sent to the television graveyard.

"Simply put, it is all about the quickly changing landscape in the way we view our favourite TV shows," he said. "Drama on free-to-air television is dying a rapid death because nowadays viewers are used to being able to watch what they want when they want."

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As for what contributed to the Ramsay Street soap's axe, Stefan reminded us that like most things, it simply is just a business decision that is all about cashflow.

"Ultimately, Neighbours is a product in the big business of film and television," he said, "and like any other business, if a product isn't making money, it will make way for one that will."

And he shared a warning to fans of other shows in the genre – no soap will be safe from the axe forever. "All TV shows come to an end – even the likes of long-time legends such as Coronation Street and Days of Our Lives will eventually cease," he added. "Survival of these shows is in the viewers' hands."

While fans had no real warning that Neighbours was at risk, those who love other soaps should probably take note that they could be facing this situation too in the coming years.

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Viewership for soaps, alongside much of linear TV, is down in recent years – while the likes of Coronation Street and EastEnders have only recently forked out a hefty amount on brand new sets.

Neighbours wrapped production after 37 years last week, but we still have several weeks' worth of episodes left before we see how it all ends.

Neighbours airs weekdays at 1.45pm and 6pm on Channel 5 and streams on My5. In Australia, the show airs Mondays to Thursdays at 6.30pm on 10 Peach and streams on 10 Play.