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Oops. “Television first” for Home & Away was not really a first.

Did Home and Away forget they had been to London before? No. But the promo dept did.

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2014-03-18_1346A few readers have mentioned they were puzzled by Home and Away promos talking up the first time the show has been to London.

The Seven promo branded the upcoming episodes, “An extraordinary television first. Home and Away in the UK.”

But as savvy soap fans recall, the Seven soap has been there before.

The last time was twelve years ago when “headmaster Donald Fisher was reunited with long lost love Marilyn, while Irene’s teenager lodger Nick got lost in London and had to ask for directions from top girl group of the time… Atomic Kitten! (gawd!)”

A Seven press release on the episodes last September correctly indicated the show was indeed returning after 12 years.

So it’s perplexing that Seven promos attempted to rewrite the past.

A Seven spokesperson told TV Tonight, the promo relates to the River Boys’ first trip to the UK. Sorry not really buying that one. Please have Promos talk to Andrew Mercado when referencing soap history in future…

Meanwhile TEN sent out a press release and clip last week with an “Australian first look” at the rebooted 24.

It carried the same clip published here in February.

16 Responses

  2. @tomothyd You’re correct, but I believe it was Fisher who went over (as he was launching his book about Byron) and thought he spotted Marilyn in a train station, or something similar. She turned up at the book launch anyway.
    Emily Symons, who plays Marilyn, was living in the UK and working on ‘Emmerdale’ at the time.

  4. Seven promos are just laughable. “Extraordinary television first”?? Ok, so it’s not a first, but even if it was, what makes it extraordinary? It’s just treating the show as a joke, which it is not.

  5. i thought the promos were indicating an aust first, that no other aust show has been to London before…besides &a, didn’t Neighbours go there as well? Very misleading promo

  9. No visas req’d for Australian passport holders to enter UK. Just ‘enough’ funds, legit reason for visit, and a ticket out of the UK (not necessarily a ‘return’ ticket).
    ““An extraordinary television first. Home and Away in the UK.” does not mean ” River Boys’ first trip to the UK”.
    Promos become meaningless when they start stretching things – such as “Who Shoots Emily?”. That started last year!

  10. H&A also went to the UK in 1998. Selina Cook had malaria and was recovering in Ironbridge, UK. Irene and Steven Mathison (her former teacher and love interest), came to see her. I think Marilyn also went over, and Irene met some guy she fancied.

    I am not buying the “River Boys’ first trip to the UK” to the UK back peddle. What is extraordinary about it, the fact that they were allowed out of the country with their criminal records? Please!

  11. How about rather than just focusing on the error of the promos. The promo department on 7 and others too, seem to believe in over saturation of promos and spoiling plot lines. Surprisingly some people (myself included) would prefer to watch the story unfold, rather than know 6 months in advance. As it is the London promos have been going for weeks and if they are a week or two ahead, probably not so bad.

    I also watched the Place to Call home promo last night. First one.and I know it will air after Easter…. so we have another 6-7 weeks, I know that isn’t a record, but seriously. The Revenge promo Who shoots Emily? She is still alive…. One freinds thought they had missed somethign when she still wasn;t married?!!?

  14. “Television first” also implies they’ve ignored the fact Neighbours has filmed in the UK three times previously too.

    But bless them for trying to explain it away as the River Boys’ first trip there.

  15. Indeed @Sarah H. They all have criminal records and the fact they can’t travel o/s has been mentioned in dialogue in previous stories, so it’s very poor form to drop the fact for plot convenience.

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