Neighbours legend Ian Smith has revealed that he has had a ‘significant shrinkage’ of a tumour following his terminal cancer diagnosis.
The 86-year-old, who has portrayed beloved Ramsay Street stalwart Harold Bishop intermittently since 1987, received his diagnosis – a cancer known as pulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma – earlier this year.
‘I found out a few months back that I have cancer,’ he told 10 News First at the beginning of December.
‘I have a very aggressive non-fixable cancer and they expect me to… they expect me to die.’
‘I want to stay alive with quality as long as I can,’ he said. ‘If they can do that, I’m very happy. But I wake up every morning hoping there’s no pain, because I know that’s the beginning of the bad part.’
He has already filmed his final scenes at Neighbours, which are due to air next year.
The character was temporarily written out of the show last month, with it being explained that Harold was visiting granddaughter Sky Mangel (Stephanie McIntosh) in Port Douglas for Christmas.
In a new interview with TV Week, Ian has opened up about the ‘extremely good news’ he has recently received concerning his health.
‘I did a PET scan and the words, I believe, were “significant metabolic change, significant shrinkage of tumour”‘ he told the publication.
‘I’ve gone from a threat of dying this coming March to maybe a few more months… and now, God, who knows?
‘It’s not a cure and it won’t be a cure, but I certainly have got a year, maybe two. That’s amazing. It really is.’
‘I’m on my own now and the world can be pretty lonely,’ he admitted. ‘It doesn’t matter how many people you’ve got around you, without your partner for life, oh gee, it’s damn lonely.’
He also admitted that it was his idea to bring Harold back to the Amazon Prime Video soap on a semi-regular basis after a string of guest returns in the last few years.
Viewers were overjoyed to see him move into the Eirini Rising retirement complex, and resume his paternal role in the community.
‘I asked [executive producer] Jason [Herbison] if I could get Harold to say goodbye and he kindly said yes,’ he explained.
‘I liked Harold. There’s not enough of his type in the world. I wouldn’t like to live next to him, I’ve got to be honest, but he’s good. He’s a nice man.’
It was also his wish to see former co-star Anne Charleston, who played Harold’s wife Madge between 1986 and 2001, return. Following the character’s death, she made two returns as a ghostly vision in 2015 and 2022.
She is now set to portray an entirely different role, though details have been kept under wraps for now.
Ian added: ‘How good was that? Gee, you couldn’t ask for more.
‘That would have been hard for her to do, and she did it so successfully. It was so good.’
A video released of his last day on set showed cast and crew gathering to wish him well – something which he described as ‘wonderful.’
‘It was a kick up the backside for a cynical old bugger like me’ he said.
‘It was so real, so sincere. I just had to stop and say to myself, “For God’s sake! These people really do like you!”
‘Youngsters standing in front of me and just crying…’
One person to reach out following the news was Hollywood actor Guy Pearce, who played Mike Young between 1986 and 2024.
‘What a superb human being Guy is’ Ian marvelled.
‘The minute he found out about me, straightaway on the phone. Just lump in the throat time, honestly.’
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He continued: ‘There was a time there when I was supposed to die this coming March, and I was just giving things away.
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‘I feel like ringing up and saying, “Ay! Give it back! I’m going to keep living, if you don’t mind!”‘
Ian also explained that he’s ‘so lucky’ to not be suffering any pain, and is still finding time to take joy in gardening.
‘You know what, I feel like I’ve been reborn.’
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