Neighbours boss Jason Herbison shares secrets of the show's return

 "I hope there will be many familiar faces."

Move over, Harold Bishop and Dee Bliss – Neighbours has pulled off the biggest "back from the dead" plot twist in its history.

The beloved Australian soap shocked everyone this week by announcing that it'll be making a surprise return in 2023, with a new home for UK viewers on free streaming service Amazon Freevee.

Less than four months after the historic finale episode, the Neighbours team are now making plans for a new series and have already secured the returns of legendary cast members Stefan Dennis (Paul Robinson), Jackie Woodburne (Susan Kennedy), Alan Fletcher (Karl Kennedy) and Ryan Moloney (Toadie Rebecchi).

While many further details are understandably being kept under wraps for now, Neighbours' executive producer Jason Herbison has shared some further exciting gossip in an exclusive new chat ,

This week's news has taken everyone by complete surprise. Were you aware this was a possibility when the finale aired, or have these developments kicked off more recently?

"We always said we were resting the show and hoped it would return one day. I didn't know how far in the future that might be or if I would even be involved.

"However, the response to the finale was phenomenal and Amazon Freevee approached us about a new chapter. It was unexpected and amazing – the most incredible plot twist ever."

We've heard that you personally visited Stefan, Jackie, Alan and Ryan last week to share the news and invite them back on board. Can you tell us a bit about those conversations? Were you confident they'd all come back?

"It was a memorable morning. It was such wonderful news that I wanted to tell them in person. I joked that it was a bit like The Amazing Race because I planned it all out on a map, figuring out how best to dash around Melbourne.

"I started with Jackie, who lives around the corner, and made way my to Stefan, Alan and Ryan. It was special and emotional. I thought they would say yes and they did. I think it was meant to be – they all happened to be home!"

The rest of the cast seem as surprised as us! Will you be reaching out to other familiar faces in the coming weeks, or will you be resetting with a largely new cast?

"I hope there will be many familiar faces. As we've said, this is all very new and fresh. It was a mark of respect to approach Jackie, Alan, Ryan and Stefan first and I knew everyone would understand that.

"We just need some time to reset and plan the next chapter. It's been such a tightly held secret and very few people have been in the know, even behind the scenes. It was my shaky hand that shot the video – that's how tight the circle has been!"

Are you prepared for the possibility that certain cast, and particularly the younger stars, may have landed new work and may not want to come back?

"Neighbours has always been a mix of the familiar and the new. It's a talent pipeline, on screen and off, and I'm sure that spirit will continue. I know that some young cast members have moved on and I'm always happy for them to do so. I'm proud of each and every one of them."

Can you confirm at this stage whether you still have the Nunawading studios (location of the Lassiters backlot and the Ramsay Street backyard sets) and Pin Oak Court (real-life location of Ramsay Street)?

"We still have the Nunawading studios. The backlot is standing and the sets are in storage. Lassiters has a few weeds but we'll fire up the lawnmower and the four star rating will be restored!

"We hope to return to Pin Oak Court but we're prepared either way. This is a wonderful new era and if we have to make changes, I see it as an exciting opportunity."

Can you confirm whether we'll still have the daily five-episodes-per-week format or something different?

"We have many more announcements ahead so stay tuned. I can assure you there are a lot of new episodes on the way. We have been a big part of people's lives and we hope to be again."

You and the rest of the team created the perfect finale just months ago. How do you feel about having to undo some of that work and the happy endings for certain characters?

"We gave everything we had to the finale and I'm grateful to Channel 5 and Network 10 for getting behind it. Thanks to their support, we went out with a bang rather than a whimper, which has led to this revival. At the time it seemed like it was my one shot to say goodbye and do it justice.

"But life is full of surprises and here we are, sooner rather than later. We will make the most of it. I don't see us having to undo any work, it's more a case of – what could happen next? The answer is – lots of amazing things!"

Now that you're heading back into the writers room, will you be using some of the ideas that you didn't have time for last time around, or going in completely fresh with new ideas?

"I will be approaching it fresh. I'm sure there are some ideas from the past that still have currency, though I'm aware some already leaked out! There's something to be said for wiping the board clean and starting anew. I have a starting point and I look forward to assembling a team and getting stuck into it."

On a personal note, how did you feel about coming back and steering the ship again? Was it something you had to give some thought to?

"I've always loved the show. It's directly linked to my childhood, which I know is the same for many viewers. I am always going to help it succeed if I can. I also feel it's a huge privilege as I truly believe the show has the power to make lives better, even if it's just entertainment.

"I will soon have a great team around me, though for now, I have my incredible Series Producer Andrew Thompson. Nobody does it alone.

"I'm also fortunate to be in a position to write and produce other projects. I have two new mini-series coming up for Channel 5 and Network 10, Riptide and Heat, and I'm very passionate about these too."

Streamers seem to have shied away from the soap genre and doing daily episode drops until now, even though there's so much potential there. Do you hope this can be a pioneering move that maybe paves the way for other streaming services to explore soaps?

"Absolutely. Neighbours has broken so much new ground over the years and it feels natural that we'd be doing it again. But whether a show is on a streamer or terrestrial TV, we are nothing without our viewers."

Neighbours returns in mid-2023 with new episodes streaming free on Amazon Freevee in the UK and US. Network 10 will retain first-run rights in Australia for the new series.