London – FremantleMedia International (FMI) has announced a deal to bring a local version of FremantleMedia Australia’s long-running drama series Neighbours to Turkey. The first global format commission of the hugely successful original series, watched by millions in Australia and the UK, will be produced by No:9 Productions and air on Turkish network Fox.
Neighbours is a daily drama and award-winning television phenomenon which has been on-air since 1985. Set in fictional Australian suburb Erinsborough, the story is centered on the lives of friends and family living in Ramsay Street. For three decades, Neighbours has delighted viewers around the world with its gripping storylines of drama, family, love and loss. To this day it remains the highest rating drama on both Channel 5 in the UK and Australia’s Channel 11.
The Turkish adaptation, entitled Komşular, will be set in a fictional suburb of Istanbul called Karanfil Yokuşu. The imagined setting is one of the oldest and most beautiful parts of Istanbul, home to people from all walks of life, from seamstresses to doctors, businessmen to movie stars. In reality, the location is a blend of three different areas in Istanbul, creating a Turkish Erinsborough.
Each episode of Komşular will be one hour long and will be based on original Neighbours storylines from 2012 onwards, starting from when the Turner and Willis families joined Ramsay Street. The original Australian character names will be adapted to Turkish versions, along with a couple of new additions, and the series will air every weeknight before the evening news on Fox Turkey.
Anahita Kheder, SVP Middle East, Africa & South Eastern Europe said, “Building on the huge success of Neighbours in Australia and the UK, it’s incredibly exciting to have our first format commission for the show. Neighbours is well-loved all over the world and, now in its 35th year, is the most successful Australian TV export in history. I can’t wait to see the series come to life in a completely new way for Turkish audiences.”
Erdi Isik, Drama Operations Executive, Fox Turkey said: “Komşular, the Turkish version of Neighbours by No:9 Productions and directed by Canan Evcimen and Göksel Aydın, will launch on Fox Turkey on 6 November. Much like the original series that is loved by audiences far and wide, the first global adaptation includes a brilliant cast and will be sure to capture Fox audiences across Turkey.”
Canan Evcimen, Director of Komşular added: “By coming to Turkey, the legendary drama series Neighbours continues to grow its global audience, which has been established in more than 60 countries. Komşular will be an essential guest in the houses of Turkish audiences, thanks to its strong storyline combined and a warm local feel.”
