'Neighbours' star Takaya Honda didn't know show was coming back

Neighbours star Takaya Honda has said he didn't know that the show was being brought back.

The much-loved series was cancelled earlier this year after 37 years, and bowed out with a huge finale in July that saw old favourites like Jason Donovan and Kylie Minogue return to Ramsay Street.

However, on Thursday (17 November) it was suddenly announced that it was returning to TV with a new series that will be available on Amazon Freevee in 2023.

Read more: What happened to these famous Neighbours cast members?

A video shared on Twitter showed Erinsborough favourites Jackie Woodburne, Alan Fletcher, Ryan Moloney and Stefan Dennis excitedly discussing the comeback, as they confirmed that they would reprise their roles.

Honda - who starred as David Tanaka in the show - then shared the tweet, but admitted it was news to him and other cast members.

"Just FYI the cast is finding this out right now," he wrote on Twitter.

"Give us time to process," added the actor, who had been on the programme since 2016

"We don’t know anything."

Neighbours started in 1985 and was a huge hit with viewers, launching the careers of many stars including Minogue and Donovan.

Fans and several cast members campaigned to save the series after it was announced that it had been axed.

Read more: Guy Pearce says Neighbours return 'feels like coming home'

At the time, actor Ian Smith – who is best known for starring as bumbling Harold Bishop - told the Courier Mail that more could have been done.

“I think the Australian government should have bought it, put it on the ABC and used it as a living, working school for actors, writers and cameramen and put it to air as such," he was quoted as saying.

Watch: Neighbours cast announce Amazon revival