Neighbours fans experienced similar grief traits to a relationship ending after the finale, new study finds

Losing a friend or partner of almost 40 years would undoubtedly result in feelings of grief and loss, and a new study says a TV show ending can have the same effect.

In 2022, there was an outpouring of emotion as Neighbours disappeared from our TV screens after 37 years.

And with super fans not aware that the show would reappear, emotions ran high as the for-sale signs were erected around Ramsay Street.

A new peer-reviewed study published in the journal PLOS ONE found Neighbours fans felt a high level of grief emotions associated with the end of the series, and they had difficulty accepting that it had ended.

Study author Dr Adam Gerace from the College of Psychology at CQ University, Adelaide, told RN Breakfast these feelings were particularly strong with people who formed strong relationships with characters on the show, known as parasocial relationships.

“They liked their favourite characters, they thought of them almost as if they were friends, if they were part of their extended social circle,” he said.

“And they engaged with the experiences and emotions that these characters felt on-screen.”

The study, conducted right after the show ended, found the most popular characters were Susan Kennedy, Toadie Rebecchi, Paul Robinson, Chloe Brennan, Terese Willis and Karl Kennedy.

It also found grief and loss experiences were greater in viewers who watched for entertainment, exposure to lifestyles and experiences, and community — as opposed to those who watched to pass the time.

Dr Gerace said although the feelings of grief were not exactly the same as losing a partner or a relationship ending, in many cases the reactions were similar at a fundamental level.

“We experience sadness, we experience anger, we don’t quite believe it’s happening,” he said.

He said in the survey of 1,300 fans, the majority from Australia and the UK, there was also a common feeling of gratitude towards what the show had given them.

What does this tell us about ourselves?

Dr Gerace said relationships with fictional characters or celebrities could be important for meeting a number of needs.

“They allow us to self-reflect, they allow us to be exposed to different lifestyle situations that we wouldn’t otherwise,” he said.

“We are able to engage in thoughts and feelings through empathising with these characters.

“I think we should see these parasocial relationships as important and be understanding when people feel that loss and or even just that upset when a series is cancelled or even when a favourite character dies.”

He said particularly in Australian TV there was a history of shows killing off fan favourites, and Neighbours was no exception.

“What happens is these relationships we form with fictional characters allow us to experience different feelings, to self-reflect, to consider our values if we are comparing and contrasting them with our favourite characters, and in some ways to grow,” he said.

And so long as those parasocial relationships do not fulfil needs that might be lacking in other parts of our lives, Dr Gerace says they are a good thing.

He hoped the study would encourage more research into parasocial relationships.