Two Doors Down is back for its fifth series

After 37 years, the soap Neighbours is coming to an end, but the theme tune’s message may live on in the sitcom Two Doors Down, which is back to complete the fifth series.

Due to filming being delayed by Covid, there’s been a gap between the two episodes that aired at Christmas and the rest of the run. That’s because according to actress Arabella Weir, who plays long-suffering Beth, we all really do need good neighbours.

Speaking ahead of a previous series, she said: “Good neighbours are unbelievably vital, so I would say they are more important, in a way, than friends. If you’ve got a crazy neighbour that will impact on you hugely. Friends you can get rid of but if you’re next door to someone you don’t like you’re stuck with them.”

As regular viewers will know, Beth is a good neighbour – she’s put up with a lot from the other residents of Latimer Crescent. Arabella explains: “My character, Beth, is the sort of ‘mum’ to everyone in her street. She’s the organiser, the one who’ll mend things, smooth things over, keep her cool – well, most of the time.”

In practice, that means Beth and her husband Eric (Alex Norton) often find themselves playing host to a selection of neighbours with a habit of abusing their hospitality and outstaying their welcome. They include foul-mouthed Christine (Elaine C Smith), boozy Cathy (Doon Mackichan) and her boastful husband Colin (Jonathan Watson), and Alan (Graeme ‘Grado’ Stevely) and Michelle (Joy McAvoy), who are funny when you don’t have to deal with them.

Luckily, viewers have taken the characters of Two Doors Down to their hearts since it first appeared as a pilot in 2013. When announcing this fifth series, Shane Allen, Controller of BBC Comedy Commissioning said: “The audience popularity across BBC Two and iPlayer has led to huge affection for a show that now rubs shoulders with The Royle Family and Gavin and Stacey as a firm and long lasting sitcom favourite. The writing is so precise, the characters burst with comic vitality and the performances are a masterclass in comedy delivery.”

If, as a newcomer, that sounds a bit overblown, it’s worth looking at the social media response to those festive episodes, which found many viewers asking why the comedy hasn’t made the leap to BBC1.

Those fans will be glad to have it back, even if it still tucked away on BBC2. The new run begins as Alan’s brother Michael arrives ahead of his wedding. Christine persuades Michelle that they should all go round to Beth’s, mainly so everyone can get a good look at the groom-to-be. Christine likes what she sees, but her praise for Michael leaves everyone else feeling inadequate.

That’s a problem for Alan, who is starting to realise no has any confidence in his ability to carry out his best man duties. But will Colin’s decision to show off his sexy stripper moves provide a welcome distraction?