Next year, there will be a new occupant on Ramsay Street.
According to the official Neighbours Instagram account, fans will be introduced to newcomer Freya, who will be played by actress Phoebe Roberts.
‘I’ve got something special for you… Phoebe Roberts, a highly excellent actress, has joined our regular cast! ‘Keep an eye out for Freya in the new year,’ the post said.
Phoebe, 27, expressed her joy at joining the long-running Australian serial.
‘It’s an amazing delight to be a part of one of Australia’s most renowned performances,’ she told the Herald Sun.
Ja’mie: Private School Girl, starring Chris Lilley, and Channel 10’s forthcoming miniseries Lie With Me are among her acting credits.
As the daughter of former St Kilda player Michael Roberts and the granddaughter of Brownlow Medalist Neil Roberts, Phoebe hails from a remarkable family.
This new assignment follows Channel 10’s announcement that Neighbours, which has been on the air for 36 years, will no longer show on Fridays.
In Australia, Channel 10 stated in July that the soap will be reduced to four evenings per week.
‘Neighbours will show four evenings a week beginning July 26. ‘Viewers may laugh along with their favourite Friends on Fridays,’ according to a spokeswoman for TV Tonight.
This will be the first season in which Neighbours will not show five nights a week.
To bring the Australian programming schedule closer to the UK timetable and avoid spoilers for British viewers, the decision to remove episodes was taken.
Due to the Covid pandemic, Channel 5 had already stated that broadcasts of Neighbours and Home and Away would be reduced from five to two evenings each week.
At its studios in Nunawading, Melbourne, production firm Fremantle continues to film six episodes of Neighbours each week.
Early last year, filming was abruptly halted owing to coronavirus, but it was resumed weeks later with Covid-safety procedures in place.
Neighbours airs on 10 Peach from Monday to Thursday at 6:30 p.m.
