Soaps (Imported)

Home and Away was an Australian, that found it's way onto British television very early on. The centre around it was a small sea-side location known as Summer Bay. It initially ran from the late 80's on ITV in varying teatime and lunchtime slots depending upon the particular region, before finally disappearing from screens for a time in 2000, after being poached by Channel 5. A year later in 2001, it returned to the screens on 5 and has been aired there since. From the mists of time, we have the 1992 opening sequence. See how many of the characters are still about by the 2005 sequence below...

The opening titles to Home and Away from around 1995. You can also see the Yorkshire Tyne Tees almost comically oversized '888' stamp from that era in the corner!

A slightly surreal set of opening titles from 1997, with sofas on the beach, and...er...other things like that!

From about 1993 onwards, ITV started cutting down the end credits to Home and Away, leaving only the last few seconds. There are several additional verses to their signature tune in the closing credits, which many UK people throughout the 90s could be forgiven for knowing even existed. The full end credits returned after the move to Channel 5, and on older repeats on digital stations are often still present. Here for example is the full credit sequence from the 1997 set of titles as shown on LivingTV. A bit of continuity over the top, but you can't win em all!

The title sequence in use when ITV lost the series, and Channel 5 gained it. For the first time ever, we can actually see the singers; an all male band float past in the background at one point.

The 2002 Opening titles for Home and Away. As above, but now in Widescreen, after the producers moved over to using it in 2001.

Similar to the last set of titles, but with a few minor cosmetic tweaks. Notably bigger pictures and text, the return of character names, and the removal of some of the background film.

2004 saw the shift of Home and Away's production to the High Definition format, and to accompany the change a new set of titles was introduced. It features a remix of the famous theme, put to a load of giant photoframes on the beach (back to the 1997 surrealism anyone?)

Neighbours hit the screens in Australia back in 1985, and made it to the BBC not long after. Initially it struggled in the ratings, and indeed was even dumped by its original network, but with the combined support of the BBC here and Channel Ten there, the producers Grundy Television turned it round. It remained a big part of the BBC daytime schedule through until 2007 when a jump in the contract renewal price saw the show move to Channel 5. It continued on 5 until 2022 when they decided not to renew, at which point the soap sadly came to an end completely. The first set of titles in 1985 weren't particularly memorable, however the second set introduced in 1986 brought about the Ramsey Streep map, something which was to remain in use for over 6 years. Thanks to Rhys Cook of Perfectblend for this (and several of the other Neighbours related files on here).

A few years later, and a slightly different map sequence. Thanks to Rhys again for this.

A strange set of titles from the early nineties. The map idea was still there, but the titles themselves lasted only lasted a matter of seconds with little more than a computer rendered Grundy Television logo appearing.

Also from 1991, here are the closing credits - thankfully not as short as the opening ones!

The 1993 set of titles, which finally signalled the end of the long lived 'map' style sequences. Thanks to Rhys Cook for this.

The Neighbours opening titles from 1995.

The end credit sequence from Neighbours in 1995.

Some different credits from around 1997. The music does sound a bit wobbly in places - don't you all just miss VHS tracking?

This sequence was used until February 2002.

This title sequence was introduced in the middle of February 2002 (in the UK, that is!), and must be one the shortest lived sets I've ever seen.

Only a few months later, the titles changed again and they decided to go back to the 2001-style, as the earlier 2002 'new-look' wasnt recognisable enough. Thanks to Rhys Cook for this!

The accompanying end credit sequence for the above look. This is the full sequence from Australia, as opposed to the cut-down version in the UK. Thanks to Karl Ayers.

Into 2003, and the accompanying sequence.

Lots of abstract coloured shapes in the 2005 title set.

A Country Practice was an Australian Soap aired by some ITV regions as a sporadic slot filler in the early 90s. The name describing it's basic plot, it was one of those soaps which appeared much older than it really was!