In December 2024, beloved Neighbours actor Ian Smith, who famously portrayed Harold Bishop, revealed his terminal lung cancer diagnosis.
“I found out a few months back that I have cancer,” he told 10 News First’s Angela Bishop at the time. “That I have a very aggressive non-fixable cancer and… they expect me to die.”
At the time, Ian had undergone three rounds of treatment, including chemotherapy and immunotherapy which is “reasonably new.”
“I’ve really put my hand up just to be a guinea pig, I think, plus the fact I don’t want to die. 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.”
Months after first revealing his diagnosis, the 86-year-old shared an emotional update as he affirmed he was having “the easiest ride” and was in “no pain.”
“I get a bit nauseous sometimes, but that’s not much,” he shared on The Morning Show with Larry Edmur and Kylie Gillies.
“I was supposed to die last month… I’ve possibly never felt better. Everyone looks at me and they say, ‘Look at your hair.’ And they’re all jealous because I’ve got so much hair.”
This chapter of Ian’s battle hasn’t been easy though, as he admitted some people have “walked away from me.”
“I can’t understand that. I don’t want them to love me but at least stay as they were with me. But, no, they’re quite physically walking away from me and it’s a very strange feeling,” he said.
“I wish they’d tell me why.”
After reprising his legendary Neighbours character in 2024, Ian bid farewell to focus on his health. At the end of May, the cast and crew gathered to toast to his final day with Anne Charleston. In his interview with The Morning Show, he praised the heartwarming farewell.
“I got there, and they meant it. And I didn’t know how to deal with it. I suddenly detected people with sincerity that they meant it,” he said
Ian first departed Neighbours in 1991, making odd guest appearances countless times throughout the decades including 1996, 2011, 2015, and 2022. It was a joyous surprise for fans when Neighbours announced Ian would reprise his role as the beloved fiction character in May 2024.
Upon his latest return to the soap, the veteran actor revealed to TV WEEK it was like putting on “an old cardigan.”
“I love the old bugger! I do look forward to coming back into the show because the kids keep me young,” he said.
Unfortunately, his return to the screen didn’t come without its challenges as Ian struggled with his “memory” and felt “unsteady” on his feet which stopped him from participating in hobbies like fly fishing.
Speaking on his departure, executive producer Jason Herbison said: “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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