Neighbours' storylines are to be "refocused" after the Australian soap suffered a rating dip down under.
The popular soap is pulling in fewer than 700,000 viewers in its 6.30pm slot on Australia's Network Ten.
Network Ten's drama executive Dan Bennett told Australia's Daily Telegraph: "Certainly, the figures we're getting now aren't a great basis for our night-time schedule.
"Storylines are going to be refocused on what has quintessentially been at the heart of Neighbours: relationships and family dynamics."
However, Neighbours' executive producer Ric Pellizzeri insisted that the soap's future is secure, saying: "No, it's not broke. I think that's being a little over-dramatic. You're constantly trying to bring life to the programme. It's a process of evolution, not a process of panic where we're trying to fix things up.''
It was announced on Friday that Neighbours will air on Five from 2008 after the BBC, which has aired the soap since 1986, pulled out of negotiations.
The popular soap is pulling in fewer than 700,000 viewers in its 6.30pm slot on Australia's Network Ten.
Network Ten's drama executive Dan Bennett told Australia's Daily Telegraph: "Certainly, the figures we're getting now aren't a great basis for our night-time schedule.
"Storylines are going to be refocused on what has quintessentially been at the heart of Neighbours: relationships and family dynamics."
However, Neighbours' executive producer Ric Pellizzeri insisted that the soap's future is secure, saying: "No, it's not broke. I think that's being a little over-dramatic. You're constantly trying to bring life to the programme. It's a process of evolution, not a process of panic where we're trying to fix things up.''
It was announced on Friday that Neighbours will air on Five from 2008 after the BBC, which has aired the soap since 1986, pulled out of negotiations.
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