When are Kylie and Jason returning to Neighbours - and, who else is coming back?

Neighbours fans are in for a treat after it was announced that Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan would be returning to Neighbours to film scenes in the Channel 5 soap before it's axed for good.

Neighbours is being axed (opens in new tab) this year because of a loss of funding to produce the Australian-based soap. The show is set to cease production in June with the remaining episodes then left to air out until the finale.

And while it's a sad time for long-standing fans of the show, to make the occasion more memorable some familiar faces from the past will be returning to Ramsay Street to film scenes and bid their final farewell before the show ends.

And the first-look pics of their reunion (opens in new tab) have been released.

We look at all you need to know about Kylie and Jason's return and who else is confirmed to return to screens...

When are Kylie and Jason returning to Neighbours?

Kylie and Jason are returning to Neighbours for the show's very last episode (opens in new tab), number 8,903, which is set to air on August 1, 2022. Bosses have kept the storyline details for the show under wraps but their return has been confirmed by the show's executive producer.

Jason Herbison announced the return of their characters, Charlene Mitchell and Scott Robinson, in a message on Twitter. He tweeted, "Scott and Charlene are the ultimate Neighbours couple and it would not feel right to end the show without them. We are thrilled that Jason and Kylie have come home to play a very special part in our series finale.

He added, "It has been an emotional experience for them, for us and I'm sure it will be for our viewers."

Kylie and Jason confirmed their involvement with the show be sharing an image of what appears to be a script. Kylie captioned it, "Who else is banging out #angryanderson yeah #suddenly … 🥰🥰🥰."

Meanwhile Jason simply uploaded the same snap and tagged Kylie "@kylieminogue"

And fans are delighted with the news.

One fan wrote, "Great news cannot wait for this epic ending with these two legends back Scott and Charlene especially for us." 

Another fan added, "I can’t actually cope! Every 80s kids soap dream come true @kylieminogue @JDonOfficial."

When did Kylie and Jason leave Neighbours?

Kylie and Jason left Neighbours back in 1988 and 1989 respectively. The pair, who played onscreen lovers Charlene and Scott, soon became fan favourites when their romance bloomed and when they got married the episode attracted two million viewers in Australia - and 20 million in the UK.

Kylie decided to leave the soap first in 1988 to concentrate on her music career, meanwhile Jason followed the year after with his exit to pursue a singing career. It was reported at the time that Jason signed a new contract with Network Ten that allowed him to leave the show earlier than his original contract stipulated.

Since then they've both gone on to have successful pop careers.

When news broke about Neighbour's future, Kylie tweeted, "We had no idea how big the show would become and how passionately viewers would take it to heart. Pure love! I can still hear Madge calling … CHARLENE!!!!" And Jason told BBC Breakfast that while it was a sad time, the show should be celebrated. He stressed, "I think it’s time to celebrate Neighbours. It’s kept my family employed for a long time to be honest! My daughter is in it, so is my dad. We should be grateful for what it’s given Australia, actors, producers, writers, directors."

Who else is coming back to Neighbours?

Aside from the return of Kylie and Jason, some other stars are coming back to film the final show including Olympia Valance. She played much-loved character Paige Smith and left the series in 2018 after four years. To confirm her attendance Olympia told Greek publication Neos Kosmos, "Neighbours has always felt like home to me. There is a reason why everyone refers to Neighbours as the best training ground in the world."

News that the show had been cancelled following the loss of it's main UK broadcast partner Channel 5, had left her "extremely sad"

"I feel like I grew up on Neighbours...it’s incredibly special to step back into the shoes of Paige as Australia farewells its most iconic television program,' she added.

But Olympia did not mention whether Holly Valance, her half-sister and fellow Neighbours alum, would be joining her in the finale.

The show also helped launch the careers of Guy Pearce, Margot Robbie and Liam Hemsworth but it's not clear if they will pop up. For further names, watch this space...

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