UK TV channel, Five, is to launch it’s Australian hour next month when it will begin to air Aussie soaps Neighbours and Home And Away back to back.

From 11 February, Neighbours will be seen at 1.45PM and 5.30PM, with Home and Away following at 2.15PM and 6.00PM.

Neighbours is moving from BBC One to Five due to the huge hike in price imposed by shows owner, Freemantle. BBC could no longer justify the cost of the soap, so it was snatched up by Channel Five who previously pulled a similar move on ITV to get Home and Away.

Dannii Minogue is planning to return to the soap opera that made her famous, Home and Away.

Dannii will reprise her old character, Emma Jackon, to mark the 20th anniversary of the Australian soap.

A source told Inside Soap: “Dannii knows it was Home and Away that really got her to where she is today, and she wants to help them with their anniversary celebrations next year.

“Even though she is very busy with work at the moment, she is planning on setting aside some time to do a couple of episodes of the show. She’ll be in Australia anyway, judging on Australia’s Got Talent, so it won’t be too hard for her to pop along to the set.”

After playing Sally Fletcher for 20 years in Home and Away, Kate Ritchie has decided to hang up her hat and leave the Australian soap opera that made her famous.

Ritchie said of the her departure: “I have been blessed with a job that I have loved for the past 20 years and I wouldn’t take back one moment of my time on Home And Away, but I feel that it is time for change.

Ritchie has been on the show since she was eight years old and commented yesterday:

“My decision to leave the show has not been made lightly and despite being sad to say goodbye I am excitedly looking forward to what will be the next chapter of my life.” Read more & comment »