Ramsey Treat

Fans of Australian Soap Opera Neighbours are in for a right bonza Summer, mate, after TV production company Grundy announced plans to release all 4,000 episodes of the show as a DVD boxset.

Volume 372: includes 'Caitlin moves into No. 30'

And it has been revealed that the 500 disc set will contain a number of exclusive special features, including:

• Director and Writers commentary on every episode
• Out-takes and deleted scenes
• 30 minute featurette The Bouncer you never knew with animal trainer Luke Hura

The entire collection will be designed in such a way that the DVD cases form a life-sized map of Ramsey Street when arranged correctly on the shelf, while every disc will be individually autographed by a member of the cast.

Strategy

However the volumes will not be available individually, so fans will to have fork out a massive £999.95 for the entire set - a decision which has left many questioning the marketing strategy behind the release.

'I'll admit we're taking a massive gamble' said a Grundy spokesperson, 'but we feel we are offering real value to the fans, as it works out at less than 25 pence an episode, which is cheaper than tea.'

Neighbours has not enjoyed the best of times lately, with viewers boycotting the show after the introduction of the Hancock family - the least popular characters in Erinsborough history and programme planners could be set to wield the axe after more than 15 years.

Valentine: wank idol

Salary Demands

Behind the scenes, the show faces financial ruin due to the massive salary demands of actor Anthony Hammer, and some more knowledgable fans will be concerned that selling classic episodes on DVD might just be a last, desperate throw of the dice.

Another idea under consideration is a late-night spin-off series, 'Neighbours Hardcore', which would feature Ramsey Street residents engaging in a variety of sex acts.

With a cast including the likes of Kym Valentine (Libby), Holly Valance (Flick) and Tom Oliver (Lou) the show already boasts some of the most wanked-over faces on mainstream television, and producers are reportedly keen to move into the hitherto unchartered area of subscription-based porn channels with a more adult-oriented product.

Other reports suggest that after episode 4,000 Neighbours will merge with BBC astrology programme The Sky at Night in a bid to cut costs, with Dr. Karl Kennedy and Sir Patrick Moore dividing the presenting duties between them.