Neighbours: Kylie Minogue pays tribute to soap following news it will officially end this summer

‘I can still hear Madge calling … CHARLENE!!!!’ singer said

Kylie Minogue has paid tribute to Neighbours following the news it will officially come to an end.

Last month, it was revealed that the Australian soap was looking for a new backer after Channel 5 said it would no longer broadcast it.

However, the series, which began almost 37 years ago, failed to find alternative funding, meaning that it has to finish.

In a tweet posted on Thursday morning (3 March), the soap’s official account said: “We are so sorry to say that after nearly 37 years and almost 9,000 episodes broadcast we have to confirm that Neighbours will cease production in June.

“Following the loss of our key broadcast partner in the UK and despite an extensive search for alternative funding, we simply have no option but to rest the show.

The tweet continued: “To our amazing, loyal fans, we know this is a huge disappointment, as it is to all of us on the team. We thank you for all your messages and support and promise to end the show on an incredible high.

“From here on, we are celebrating Neighbours.”

‘Neighbours’ is officially coming to an end in June (Twitter)

Channel 5 said its reasoning for dropping the series was so that it could direct focus “on increasing our investment in original UK drama”.

Minogue wrote on Twitter: “I’ll be forever grateful for the experience & the friends I made on @neighbours. 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!!!!”

Neighbours has been a staple of UK television since it first started airing on BBC One in 1986. It moved to Channel 5 in 2008.

Over the years, it launched the careers of Australian stars including Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan, Guy Pearce and, more recently, Margot Robbie.

Now hope of a new backer has been lost, fans have been left devastated, sharing their sadness on social media.