Australian soap opera icon Ian Smith, celebrated for his portrayal of Harold Bishop on Neighbours, has revealed that he has been diagnosed with terminal cancer.
Smith, 85, has been a beloved fixture on the Amazon Freevee soap, appearing on and off for over five decades since first joining the series in 1987.
In an emotional interview on Monday, December 2, Smith disclosed that he recently filmed his final scenes after being diagnosed with a rare and aggressive 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 said, referring to his diagnosis of pulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma.
In the interview, recorded on his last day on set, Smith reflected on his time with Neighbours. “It isn’t just my last day in Neighbours, it’s my last day of work,” he shared.
During his farewell speech to the cast and crew, the actor expressed gratitude for the life he’s led, calling it “the most privileged life” and saying he had “met the most beautiful people” throughout his tenure on the show.
Speaking with Angela Bishop, Smith revealed that he has undergone chemotherapy and immunotherapy as part of his treatment. He described himself as being open to experimental treatments.
“I don’t want to die,” he admitted. “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.”
Smith also spoke candidly about the loss of his wife, Gail, to cancer in 2019 after 50 years of marriage, describing the impact it had on his life. “That really … I think if that hadn’t happened, I’d be a lot worse off now,” he said. “My life finished then.”
The actor revealed he still talks to his late wife, calling her “the most wonderful, beautiful person.”
Discussing his mortality, Smith shared his thoughts on coming to terms with death. “We’re all dying, but when you find out specifically when you’re going to die, you become a very different person,” he said.
“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 [cancer], and I’m hoping I’ll go the nice way.”
The official Neighbours X account paid tribute to Smith on Monday, announcing his departure from the series. “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.”
Executive producer Jason Herbison also shared his admiration for Smith in a statement: “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.
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.”
