‘Neighbours’ Legend Ian Smith Reveals He Has Terminal Cancer

Australian soap opera icon Ian Smith, who has played Harold Bishop on Neighbours for over five decades, has revealed he has terminal cancer and will be leaving the show for good.

Speaking to Australia’s 10 News First, Smith confirmed he had filmed his final scenes on the long-running soap following his diagnosis of pulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma, a rare form of lung cancer.

“I found out a few months back that I have cancer. I have a very aggressive, non-fixable cancer. They expect me to die,” Smith shared. The cameras also followed Smith during his final day on set, where he said, “It isn’t just my last day in Neighbours, it’s my last day of work.”

Smith joined Neighbours in 1987 and has appeared on the soap on and off for over 50 years. The beloved drama, which now airs on Amazon Freevee, has launched the careers of some of Hollywood’s biggest stars, including Margot Robbie, Russell Crowe, and Liam Hemsworth, plus singers Kylie Minogue, Delta Goodrem, and Natalie Imbruglia.

In his interview with 10 News First, Smith revealed he has had chemotherapy and immunotherapy. “I don’t want to die,” he stated. “I want to stay alive with quality as long as I can. 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.”

Kylie Minogue, Craig McLachlan, Anne Charleston, Ian Smith on Neighbours; Network Ten / Courtesy: Everett Collection

Smith lost his wife of 50 years, Gail, to cancer in 2019 and explained how that has made dealing with his own cancer diagnosis easier.

“That really… I think if that hadn’t happened, I’d be a lot worse off now,” he shared. “My life finished then. She was the most wonderful, beautiful person.”

He continued, “We’re all dying, but when you find out specifically when you’re going to die, you become a very different person. I’ve seen so many deaths. At the age of 85, you see so many. I’ve seen some good ones, and I’ve seen bad ones. The bad have been few. Soon, I’m going to be one of the few who die from pleomorphic [and] I’m hoping I’ll go the nice way.”

Harold waves goodbye to Ramsay Street. We’re sharing the sad news that Ian Smith will soon be stepping away from the beloved role of Harold Bishop. Ian first played Harold in 1987 and it’s been a huge privilege to welcome him back to the show over the years. pic.twitter.com/gftz0qklZw

— Neighbours (@neighbours) December 2, 2024

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On Monday, December 2, the official Neighbours X account confirmed Smith’s exit from the soap, writing, “Harold waves goodbye to Ramsay Street. We’re sharing the sad news that Ian Smith will soon be stepping away from the beloved role of Harold Bishop. Ian first played Harold in 1987 and it’s been a huge privilege to welcome him back to the show over the years.”

In a statement, the show’s executive producer Jason Herbison said, “The way the residents of Ramsay Street feel about Harold is how we all feel about Ian – we couldn’t love him more than we do.”

He added, “Despite the challenges he was facing with his health, he wanted to give Harold a proper send-off. It was a very emotional moment on set as we paid tribute to him and the incredible contribution he has made to the show.”

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