Neighbours 2023: Amazon Freevee release date, trailer, and cast with Mischa Barton and Guy Pearce

A little over a year since Neighbours was last on screen, the Australian soap is back, with new episodes set to air on Amazon Freevee from September.

The series, which ran for over three decades, was cancelled in 2022 when UK broadcaster Channel 5 opted not to fund further episodes – but after Amazon Freevee stepped into the space left by Channel 5, Neighbours is back, complete with new guest stars like The OC’s Mischa Barton. 

Here’s everything you need to know about Neighbours ahead of its 2023 return.

What is it about?

According to the official synopsis, “the continuation of the long-running series—about the lives, loves, and challenges of the residents on Ramsay Street in Erinsborough, Australia, a fictional suburb of Melbourne—will pick up two years after the finale in 2022.”

Who stars in Neighbours?

The new series will star Alan Fletcher, Annie Jones, Candice Leask, Emerald Chan, Georgie Stone, Jackie Woodburne, Lloyd Will, Lucinda Armstrong Hall, Lucinda Cowden, Marley Williams, Naomi Rukavina, Rebekah Elmaloglou, Riley Bryant, Ryan Moloney, Sara West, Shiv Palekar, Stefan Dennis, Tim Kano, and Xavier Molyneux as series regulars, many of whom are reprising their roles from when the series was last on air.

They’re joined by a number of high-profile guest stars, most notably Guy Pearce and Mischa Barton. Pearce – who you’ll recognise from the likes of A Spy Among Friends, Memento, and LA Confidential – will be reprising his role as Mike Young, having appeared in the Neighbours finale last year. Barton, meanwhile, is set to play Reese Sinclair, an American newcomer who isn’t quite what she seems. You’ll recognise her, of course, from The OC, Starcrossed, and The Hills: New Beginnings.

Is there a trailer?

Yes, there is! You can watch it right here.

When and how can I watch it?

Neighbours: A New Chapter – as it’s officially subtitled – will begin on Monday 18 September, with new episodes set to air on Amazon Freevee every day from Monday to Thursday. Amazon Freevee is Amazon Prime’s free to use, ad-supported streaming service. You can read more about how to use it here.

Amazon Freevee will also have over a hundred episodes of classic Neighbours available to stream, with two FAST channels airing a running loop of these episodes.

How many episodes are there?

Amazon Freevee has committed to make 200 episodes of Neighbours per year for the next two years, meaning the future of the series is secure through till at least late 2025.

Where is Neighbours filmed?

Neighbours, famously, is set on Ramsay Street in Erinsborough – a fictional street in a fictional suburb of Melbourne. In real life, Ramsay Street is a collection of sets built on a soundstage (and at times rebuilt – the originals were destroyed in a fire in 1985). 

Why should I watch Neighbours?

It’s one to watch if you were a fan of the original series, ready to welcome it back into your life, but it’s also the perfect jumping on point if you’ve never seen it before.