tv week snubs neighbours same-sex wedding
3 min read

Neighbours fans have erupted both in Australia and the United Kingdom over the failure of TV Week magazine to include Australia’s historic first same-sex TV wedding on this week’s front cover.

The TV wedding of the year and some say the biggest TV wedding since Scott and Charlene, will be shown next Monday night September 3.

Interesting enough, the wedding of Scott and Charlene was given the front cover in 1987.

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TV Week cover of Scott and Charlene's wedding on 27 June 1987. (Source: TV Week, 27 June 1987)
TV Week cover of Scott and Charlene’s wedding on 27 June 1987. (Source: TV Week, 27 June 1987)

As the wedding followed the same-sex postal vote and Marriage Act law changes in Australia last year, fans and neighbours stars alike expected the wedding to be featured on the front cover of Australia’s only TV magazine.

Instead, TV Week went with a photograph of a straight couple that appeared on a reality TV show that actually quit their own show, The Block, the week before.

One fan was so disappointed with the front cover that they re-made the cover to include Aaron (Matt Wilson) and David (Takaya Honda) on the cover instead.

“I’m just glad that you love it! It came out of being so frustrated, disappointed and angry last night over it not even making the cover at all,” said Park Typer Forever on Instagram who created the mock cover.

Mock TV Week cover created by a fan
Mock TV Week cover created by a fan

“I totally agree I was so upset today when I got my copy and saw that the #DaaronWedding wasn’t front and centre as it rightly should’ve been,” said Bec Hughes in response.

Some comments from Twitter

“TV Week 100% should have had this on the cover. I’d love to know the reasons why it wasn’t. Small minded editors perhaps, who voted against the legalisation??,” said David also on Instagram.

A Significant Australian TV Moment

One half of the happy couple Takaya Honda, who plays David, posted the two different covers on his social media.

“Absolutely love this remake of this weeks @tvweekmag cover by @park_typer_forever to celebrate the #daaronwedding – Who wouldn’t love it if this was real?,” posted Takaya Honda.

“But it’s so special to have fans that care so much to make something like this, I truly appreciate it.

“In one week, a really significant moment in Australian TV will occur. The first same sex marriage since it became legalized in Australia will be televised.

“This will be the first of many and I look forward to the day where the prefix of ‘same-sex’ is no longer necessary. Love is love, and I couldn’t be prouder to be a part of this.

“Thank you @neighbours @jasonherbison @lynchnat and the rest of the team for trusting me and casting me as part of this storyline.”

Absolutely love this remake of this weeks @tvweekmag cover by @park_typer_forever to celebrate the #daaronwedding – Who wouldn’t love it if this was real? But it’s so special to have fans that care so much to make something like this, I truly appreciate it. In one week, a really significant moment in Australian TV will occur. The first same sex marriage since it became legalized in Australia will be televised. This will be the first of many and I look forward to the day where the prefix of ‘same sex’ is no longer necessary. Love is love, and I couldn’t be prouder to be a part of this. Thank you @neighbours @jasonherbison @lynchnat and the rest of the team for trusting me and casting me as part of this storyline.

A post shared by Takaya Honda ????????‍♂️ (@takayah) on

The TV Week cover not only misses the opportunity to show the wedding as the main image, but the event is not included in any of the sidebar pieces either. It is though covered within the magazine in a full spread with images.

TV Week Response

Responding to Gay Nation’s question as to why Neighbours was snubbed from the front cover, TV Week Editor Thomas Woodgate said a number of factors affect what images are shown on the cover of the magazine.

“There are many factors that influence the decision behind TV WEEK’s front cover each week, for example ratings, and this can vary from week to week,” explained Thomas Woodgate.

“We have covered the Neighbours storyline extensively and we, like you, are extremely excited about the upcoming storyline.

“The team at TV WEEK were in fact on set for the filming of the historic episode and we have supported this through coverage both in the magazine and online.

“We are looking forward to seeing the episode play out on screens next week.”


The first of the big Neighbours wedding episodes will be broadcast on Monday, September 3 in both the UK and Australia. New Zealand will see the episodes two weeks later.

 

Last Updated on Aug 28, 2018


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