It has a community spirit where nothing really awful happens

TV critic Tina Baker

Ian Smith, who plays meddling Harold Bishop, is the longest running cast character, having been on screen for 15 years.

He told BBC Radio 5 Live that the secret to the show's success is easy.

"Anything that happens to one of our characters, could happen to anyone, we are not like one of the flashy US soaps."

He added that he never tired of playing Harold and said he is happy because he is a "62-year-old actor in permanent employment".

Guy Pearce has starred in Count of Monte Cristo

TV critic Tina Baker said the show has stayed successful because it offers something different from UK soaps.

she said: "When Neighbours first started, it was a feel-good soap. It has a community spirit where nothing really awful happens.

"It has a lot more comedy and a lot more sunshine than our soaps."

Neighbours' success over the years has masked its early beginnings, when it was cancelled after just 170 episodes on Australia's Channel Seven.

Fanbase

It was picked up by rival Ten Network in 1986 and producers dropped the working class focus to feature a more affluent setting.

The show started on BBC One in October that year as a daytime filler, but soon built up a huge teenage fanbase.

Kylie was first to launch pop career

After executives realised that millions of children were arriving back at school late from lunch because they were glued to Neighbours, it was moved to its present 1735 (BST) slot.

The tale goes that it was Alison Grade, the daughter of the then head of programming Michael, who helped get the soap a better showing after complaining she and her friends kept missing it.

Kylie Minogue became the show's first major success, launching a hugely successful singing career.

Flops

Many Neighbours stars have tried their hand at singing and acting, with varying degrees of success.

Craig McLachlan, Stefan Dennis and Gayle and Gillian Blakeney had limited success.

However Guy Pearce has gone onto Hollywood success with films like LA Confidential and The Time Machine, Rhada Mitchell has starred in the horror movie Pitch Black and Natalie Imbruglia has had hit records around the world.

Holly Valance, who plays Flick, is currently number one in the UK singles charts with her debut single Kiss Kiss.

The 4000th episode is due to be transmitted in the UK in mid-June.