Star of major teen drama series to join Neighbours revival

Soap is returning one year after it was axed

Neighbours is returning less than a year after its final episode was axed – and one special guest star has already been announced.

The Australian soap originally aired from 1985 to 2022, but came to an end in July. However, in November, it was announced that the show was being rebooted by Amazon Freevee.

With production kicking off on Monday (17 April), it has now been announced that The OC star Mischa Barton will make an appearance in the new series.

Barton will arrive in the fictional Melbourne suburb of Erinsborough as Reece, an American who is new to the area and “not quite who she appears to be”.

Speaking about joining the soap, Barton, 37, said: “I’m excited to be part of this iconic show’s next chapter, and I am really looking forward to being back in Australia, a place I know and love!

“I think the character of Reece is going to be a great role for me to explore and play with.”

The final episode of Neighbours on Channel 5 aired in July 2022 when the soap failed to secure new funding after being dropped by the broadcaster.

Despite its initial axing, the long-running show has been revived by streaming site Amazon Freevee and production company Fremantle, with a new series to begin on the service in the autumn.

Neighbours’ executive producer Jason Herbison said: “With Neighbours launching on Amazon Freevee in north America, we are beyond excited to have an actor of Mischa’s calibre join us for the beginning of this exciting new chapter.

“Mischa’s character is dynamic and unpredictable, and will have an instant presence on Ramsay Street. Our loyal viewers are going to love her, locally and abroad.”

Barton is best known for her portrayal of Marissa Cooper on Noughties teen drama The OC, but has also appeared in a number of films, including Lawn Dogs and The Sixth Sense.

The London-born actress has also starred in a variety of stage productions, including Where The Truth Lies, Twelve Dreams, and One Flea Spare.

The forthcoming Neighbours reboot will see the return of a number of recognisable on-screen characters including Susan and Karl Kennedy, Toadie Rebecchi and Paul Robinson.

The revitalised series will premiere free of charge on Amazon Freevee in the UK and US, with the site also streaming thousands of Neighbours episodes from previous series. It will be broadcast on Prime Video in Australia, New Zealand and Canada.

Additional reporting by Press Association