Actor Takaya Honda has reflected on the power of long running Australian soap Neighbours as news emerges that the show might be coming to an end later in 2022.
Posting a message to his fans on Instagram Honda said they were the reason he’d stuck with the show and playing David Tanaka, one of the soap opera’s first regular LGBTIQA+ characters.
“You are the reason I am still on Neighbours and you have been my motivation to continue telling David’s story for as long as I have.
“I think there is something that is forgotten in the media when they talk about Neighbours. Yes, when you reduce a storyline to dot points it can sound silly (that applies to more shows than people are willing to admit) but not everything on Neighbours is silly and the affect it has on people certainly isn’t. I have, on multiple occasions received messages from fans stating that the show and David’s storylines have saved their lives, and they say this genuinely.
“Neighbours has always offered a place to escape and in recent years has offered a place to escape for so many who have been under represented. I have been one half of, not only the first on screen gay wedding in Australian history but, I’m pretty sure, also one of the longest running on screen gay relationships too. There are very few that span the length of time or episode count that Matty Wilson and I have as #Daaron. I say this on top of being a POC too.”
“I am proud of being a part of this show, I am super proud of the work we have been producing over the past few months that you are yet to see, and I am proud to be a part of this team as we move towards June 10 and whatever lies beyond.” Honda said.
News broke last week that British broadcaster Channel 5 would not be renewing it’s contract with the show, meaning that most of it’s production budget would be missing unless another British broadcaster wanted to pick up the show.
The cast and crew are still hoping a solution can be found, but without a major production partner it unlikely the show will continue production.
Neighbours began it’s life on Channel 7 in 1985 sharing the lives of families on suburban Ramsey Street. After just four months the show was axed, but it was quickly pick up by rival network Ten, where is went on to become an international phenomenon.
The show faced criticism for it’s lack of diversity in it’s cast, over its history it featured few people of colour, and hardly any same-sex attracted characters. Honda joined the cast in 2016 alongside co-star Matt Wilson and the program featured a significant same-sex storyline leading up to their wedding in 2018.
In 2019 transgender advocate Georgie Stone also joined the program playing regular character Mackenzie Hargreaves, Stone remains with the show. Prior to appearing on Neighbours Honda played Klaus Thomson on the SBS series The Family Law and was also a presenter on Play School.
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