Soap opera began airing a recap sequence at the beginning of each episode. With the exception of "Hollyoaks", soap operas in the UK also lack incidental music, although "EastEnders" would sometimes feature music that plays over an ending scene if it was dramatic, with an alternative "EastEnders" theme known as "Julia's theme". Australia has had quite a number of well-known soap operas, some of which have gained cult followings in the UK, New Zealand and other countries. The majority of Australian television soap operas are produced for early evening or evening timeslots. They usually produce two or two-and-a-half hours of new material
Soap opera Network weekday series aired in a daytime slot in 15-minute installments. "The Story of Peter Grey" ran for 164 episodes. The first successful wave of Australian evening television soap operas started in 1967 with "Bellbird", produced by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. This rural-based serial screened in an early evening slot in 15-minute installments as a lead-in to the evening news. "Bellbird" was a moderate success but built-up a consistent and loyal viewer base, especially in rural areas, and enjoyed a ten-year run. "Motel" (1968) was Australia's first half-hour soap opera; the daytime soap had a short run of 132 episodes.