How will Neighbours end? Six theories as Australian soap axed

AFTER 37 years on the air, beloved Australian soap Neighbours has been cancelled.

The announcement was recently made via an official statement. But what will the iconic show's finale look like?

When Channel 5 announced its plans to drop the show altogether from its schedules, production company Fremantle Media has tried to look for a new home for the programme – to no avail.

As their attempts have been unsuccessful, Neighbours will be finishing production in June, 2022.

According to ABC News, its final episodes are to air in September, 2022, unless another broadcaster can swoop in to save the day.

Read our soap spoilers live blog for the latest gossip 

Ahead of its finale, several plans have already been made, including the returns of Ian Smith aka Harold Bishop, Melissa Bell and Peter O'Brien.

One ending has been already ruled out by executive producer Jason Herbison as he vowed tragedy will not be striking Erinsborough.

"The ending will be a celebration of the past and the present, with the door very much open for the future", he said.

"I would never, ever blow it up."

But without further ado, here are some theories on how Neighbours could end.

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Zara comes back and clears her name

Channel 5 viewers know that Zara Selwyn has been blamed for the recent Erinsborough High fire drama.

The character portrayed by Freya Van Dyke is the prime suspect, despite fans knowing that her classmates Aubrey Laing and Sadie Rodwell are actually responsible for the blaze.

Zara was admitted to her other bad behaviour as she was interrogated by the police.

This includes setting the fire alarm off at school and stealing a pendant bought by Hendrix Greyson for Mackenzie Hargreaves.

But Zara is adamant on one thing: she has nothing to do with the blaze.

With the recent string of fires and the mounting evidence against her, Zara was frustrated to see nobody believed her.

As her mother Amy Greenwood prepared for the possibility of her being held in juvenile detention, Zara decided it was time for her to leave and vanished.

With final episodes set to air during the summer of 2022, Zara's storyline will need an ending.

What if she returned to Ramsay Street, clearing her name once and for all before moving away again altogether to start afresh with her family?

Gareth gets arrested or killed

Spoilers have already confirmed Levi will go missing during a holiday at the remote woodland location of River Bend.

But when Freya (Phoebe Roberts) goes off to look for her on-off lover, she is met with her mystery man, her dodgy ex Gareth (Jack Pearson).

Pictures have shown Gareth attacking Freya in her car as he begins his reign of terror over Neighbours characters.

Freya first gave a jaw-dropping story about Gareth to Levi when she explained he had gone into witness protection due to dealings with gangs and police corruption.

But Gareth's version of events doesn't corroborate with Freya's as he claims she is actually a stalker.

But after tracking her and Levi down and attacking Freya; Gareth takes her hostage.

With the upcoming events set to air on March 7, 2022, Gareth could be expected to be a new villain on Ramsay Street.

As antagonists never really make it, he could also be expected to get his comeuppance after making several victims, just as the final episodes of the show are being aired.

Will Erinsborough residents ever find out the truth about Freya's connection to Gareth?

And will Gareth be caught or killed for his actions?

Nicolette and Kiri become a new couple

While Freya finds her ex at River Bend, another character finds a new love.

Neighbours bosses have given fans a new budding romance between Nicolette Stone (Charlotte Chimes) and newcomer Kiri Hua Durant (Gemma Bird Matheson).

Pictures have shown both characters getting closer and closer during theRiver Bend getaway, amid all the drama.

Could they become the new iconic couple in Erinsborough?

Ramsay Street residents all move away

While it will surely take some time before any storyline finds its closure, another potential ending to Neighbours could be more drastic.

What if Ramsay Street was set for a large-scale inconvenience or, worse, a huge catastrophe, forcing residents to pack up and move away?

After 37 years, it wouldn't be surprising to see the Street being closed down altogether, just as the show ends.

In a surprising (and perhaps unrealistic) twist, this big move could allow some Neighbours characters to find their mark somewhere else.

Could there be an Aussie invasion in Emmerdale?

What if they set their sights on Weatherfield or Albert Square?

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Actress Phoebe Roberts was a new face in Neighbours in 2022Credit: channel 5

New faces move in

This brings up another potential ending for Neighbours.

If Ramsay Street was to be wiped out or simply closed down, could a new street in Erinsborough – or anywhere else in sunny Australia – be the last ever shot Neighbours viewers get?

This could be a good teaser for a new TV venture and symbolise the "open door to the future" executive producer Jason Herbison imagined.

If Ramsay Street was to remain unscathed, however, one could imagine new residents to replace everyone that has moved away, leading viewers to believe drama will always part of Erinsborough?

Neighbours was all a dream

Airing for the first time in 1985, Neighbours has become a staple of daytime TV.

But with the huge twists and turns the plotlines have given viewers, it's hard to believe so much drama could ever really happen, even in a show.

What if the action-packed storylines were all but the figment of someone's active imagination?

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