Neighbours and Home and Away returning to five episodes a week on Channel 5

Neighbours and Home and Away are reverting back to airing five episodes a week on Channel 5.

From Monday, May 11, the soaps will resume their usual Monday to Friday slots, having originally been cut down to just two per week each last month in an effort to keep them on screens for longer after the coronavirus pandemic disrupted production.

A spokesperson explained at the time: "As a result of COVID-19, we have taken the decision to reduce the number of episodes for Neighbours and Home and Away from five to two per week for both soaps, so that our viewers can continue to enjoy them for as long as possible."

Related: Neighbours to hint at possible reunion for Toadie Rebecchi and Dee Bliss

Channel 5 then upped episodes of both soaps from two to three earlier this month.

Without the rationing, it was believed that new instalments would run out in mid-June. So it seems safe to assume that once it's being shown at full capacity again, the cap will be a month or so on that.

Fortunately, Neighbours is set to resume filming later this week, but there will still be social distancing rules in place on set, which includes no kissing or holding hands. UK viewers will still be behind on the current storylines, as Channel 5's episodes are a few weeks later than the Australian broadcast.

Home and Away viewers, on the other hand, will seemingly have to wait a little longer before their favourite characters start work on some fresh material.

Just yesterday (April 28), Aussie actor Lynne McGranger informed a fan on Twitter that there have been no concrete plans made in regards to when the cast and crew can safely start shooting again.

"There's talk of June/July but only hearsay," she explained, along with a shrugging emoji.

Neighbours currently airs Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 1.45pm and 5.30pm on Channel 5 (UK) and weekdays at 6.30pm on 10 Peach (Australia).

The information in this story is accurate as of the publication date. While we are attempting to keep our content as up-to-date as possible, the situation surrounding the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic continues to develop rapidly, so it's possible that some information and recommendations may have changed since publishing.

For any concerns and latest advice, visit the World Health Organisation. If you're in the UK, the National Health Service can also provide useful information and support, while US users can contact the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

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