<P> Since 2000, Home and Away has ceased broadcast mid-season for two weeks during the Olympic Games and the episode to screen prior to this is referred to as an' Olympic cliffhanger' . An Olympic cliffhanger episode would usually involve increased drama, with the peak of a storyline, similar to a season finale episode, and the outcome of the cliffhanger to conclude after the Olympics . Olympic cliffhangers have been broadcast in 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2016, with the exclusion of 2012, as the Seven Network did not have the rights to televise the 2012 London Olympics . In addition to this, Home and Away took a transmission break on 3 April 2018 in order to broadcast the 2018 Commonwealth Games, and returned on 16 April 2018 . </P> <P> Home and Away has been sold to over 80 countries around the world, making it one of Australia's successful media exports . </P> <P> In the United Kingdom, Home and Away was first broadcast on ITV from 11 February 1989 until 8 June 2000 . Home and Away was shown twice a day on ITV, with a lunchtime showing and a tea time repeat; many regions aired it at around 5: 10 pm, while others at 6: 00 pm or even 6: 30 pm . The show attracted up to eight million viewers, making it one of ITV's top 30 rated programmes . It also helped boost audiences for ITV's regional and early evening news bulletins . During the show's last year on ITV, Home and Away attracted an average audience of 4.4 million for its early - evening repeats . In February 2000, it was announced that Home and Away would be moving to rival Channel 5 after they bought the rights to the show in a £ 40m auction deal . ITV reportedly offered twice the amount by Channel 5, but the Seven Network in Australia were swayed by Channel 5's commitment to the long - term future of the show in a deal of more than five years . After its run on ITV ended, Home and Away went off air for 12 months as ITV had an exclusivity clause that prevented any other broadcaster from airing the show for a year . After a delay in screening, Home and Away made its debut on Channel 5 on 16 July 2001 . Channel 5 currently airs Home and Away at 1: 15 pm each week day, with a repeat at 6: 00 pm . UK viewers are able to catch up with episodes on 5 * and online via Demand 5 . From July 2018, Home and Away is available for catch up on Paramount Network, a channel operated by Channel 5 . </P> <P> In Ireland, Home and Away is broadcast on RTÉ Television at 1: 30 pm on RTÉ One and repeated on RTÉ2 at 6: 30 pm each weekday . A repeat of the week's episodes is aired on Saturdays and Sundays on RTÉ2 . Viewers in the Republic of Ireland are also able to catch up with episodes on the RTÉ Player . Home and Away is one of RTÉ's most popular drama series . It was the most watched programme of 2014 on the RTÉ Player with over four million viewers . As of 2014, the show is no longer available to view in Northern Ireland via the Sky platform, however, it can still be viewed on free view service Saorview . In New Zealand, Home and Away is broadcast on TVNZ 2 at 5: 30 pm each weekday . A repeat of the previous day's episode is shown at 11: 00 am weekdays and an omnibus edition is shown on Sunday afternoons . The TVNZ website also offers viewers the chance to watch episodes online with its OnDemand service . Home and Away is one of New Zealand's most popular TV series and is one of TVNZ 2's highest - rating shows . The show had previously aired on TV3 since 2002, where it consistently won high ratings for TV3 and helped boost audiences for their 6pm news bulletin . However, on 5 July 2013, the show's European distributor Endemol cancelled its agreement with TV3, causing them to lose the right to broadcast Home and Away . In the United States, Home and Away began streaming on the subscription service Hulu on 2 March 2015, beginning with the 2015 season . The service no longer receives new episodes, although the complete twenty - eighth season is currently available . </P>

When did home and away start in the uk