The Australian soap opera Neighbours premiered its season finale Friday evening, after 37 years on the air.
The show, despite following the daily lives of people living in the fictional suburb of Erinsborough (an anagram of Neighbours), Australia, became a hit in the U.K., where the episode will be aired on Channel 5.
Longtime fans of the show turned out in droves at Melbourne’s Federation Square on the big night, marking the end of a monster cultural icon with almost 9,000 episodes aired since its inception in 1985.
Fans took to Twitter to share their emotional reactions to the episode.
Tracey Wearn posted: “Oh my….I’m welling up already… Seriously can’t believe this is coming to an end….going to miss you all sooooo much.”
Mikey Cole tweeted: “The end is nigh & im not ready.. I’ve grown up with @neighbours and it ends this week, it’s going to be a sad day on Thursday but I’m glad it’s going out with a bang & happy that many of the stars are back to say goodbye. #CelebratingNeighbours.”
Lesley Renshaw, who became a fan of the show during her time as a student in northern Wales, told The New York Times that she now watches with her 13-year-old daughter. Conveying her gratitude for the show, Renshaw said her daughter “can understand a little bit more about human behavior — what’s right and what’s wrong. It grows with you.”
The finale episode of Neighbours premieres on July 29 at 9 p.m. on Channel 5 for viewers in the U.K. No word yet on a U.S. network airing the finale.
