Actor Ian Smith, recognized for his portrayal of Harold Bishop in Neighbours, has announced he has been diagnosed with terminal cancer.
The 85-year-old made his debut on Ramsay Street in 1987 and has intermittently portrayed the cherished character for five decades. After a hiatus of 15 years, he returned to the Australian soap opera merely a few months ago.
However, he has now disclosed that he has completed filming his final Neighbours scenes after being informed he has a rare type of lung cancer known as pulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma.
“I discovered a few months ago that I have cancer,” Smith conveyed to Australian news program 10 News First. “I have an extremely aggressive form of non-curable cancer. They anticipate that I will die.”
Kylie Minogue as Charlene Mitchell, Craig Mclachlan as Henry, Anne Charleston as Madge Bishop, and Smith as Harold in the early years. Pic: Fremantle Media/Shutterstock
The series shared clips of his last day on set, where he expressed to his fellow actors that he had experienced “the most privileged life” and encountered “the most wonderful people” throughout his tenure on the show.
Harold made his entrance in Erinsborough as an old flame of Madge (Anne Charleston), and they subsequently tied the knot, becoming one of the soap’s most adored couples.
However, misfortune befell Harold when he was swept out to sea in 1991, presumed dead – fans of Neighbours will recall those iconic final moments, featuring a devastated Madge holding only his glasses, stranded on a rock.
Yet, this is soap opera territory, where anything is possible – and Harold made a comeback in 1996, albeit suffering from amnesia. He remained a regular character until 2009.
During that period, the character faced a house burglary by a gambling-addicted girlfriend, endured a stroke that drastically changed his demeanor, and attempted to strangle the individual he held responsible for the plane crash that claimed his son’s life.
Smith rejoined alongside (L-R) Minogue, Jason Donovan, Annie Jones, and Stefan Dennis in 2022, during what was believed to be the soap’s final episode. Pic: Fremantle/Channel 5
Smith subsequently made several cameo appearances in the soap following his departure – including what was considered at the time to be the concluding episode in 2022 after the series was canceled by Channel 5.
Nonetheless, Neighbours was revived in 2023 after being acquired by the streaming service Amazon Freevee, and Smith announced his complete return in May.
“After a 15-year absence, the iconic Harold Bishop is making his way back to Erinsborough,” the series announced in a statement released on social media at that time. “We are ecstatic to have Ian Smith back in the show and the opening credits, where he rightfully belongs.”
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Following the filming of his final scenes, Smith remarked that there were “genuine tears” during his last day on set.
Clips portrayed him alongside cast members such as Stefan Dennis (Paul Robinson), Jackie Woodburne (Susan Kennedy), Alan Fletcher (Karl Kennedy), and Annie Jones (Jane Harris) – along with a surprise reappearance from Charleston, allegedly portraying a different character after Madge’s passing in 2001.
Dennis became emotional as he expressed: “In the past 20 years since my return, I have formed an incredible bond with this man… I love you dearly.”
Smith shared that he had undergone treatments which included chemotherapy and immunotherapy, and that he had volunteered “to be a test subject – also because I don’t wish to die. I want to sustain a quality life for as long as I can. If they can facilitate that, I will be very content.”
