Neighbours actor Ian Smith, known for playing Harold Bishop on the Australian soap, has announced his departure from the show after revealing he has terminal cancer.

The actor, 86, said in an interview with Australia’s Network Ten that he had a rare form of lung cancer, called pulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma.

“I found out a few months back that I have cancer, that I have a very aggressive non-fixable cancer and they expect me to die,” he told presenter Angela Bishop.

He later said of having treatment: “I’ve had three chemos – although the first one wasn’t chemo it was immunotherapy, which is reasonably new, to the medical world.

“I’ve really put my hand up, I think, just to be a guinea pig – plus the fact I don’t want to die, I want to stay alive with quality as long as I can, and 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.”

A message posted on Neighbours official X account said: “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.”

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

Neighbours said Anne Charleston, who played Harold’s old flame Madge Mitchell, would return alongside Smith for some of his last scenes.

Ten, which airs the long-running soap, showed a video of him on set with cast and crew on his final day of filming. He became emotional as he spoke about losing his wife, Gail, to cancer in 2019.

Smith first appeared on the show in 1987. His character was supposed to be in just a few episodes but ended up staying until 1991, when Harold was washed out to sea while on holiday.

Smith returned to the show in 1996 and remained until 2009.

The character made further brief guest appearances in the soap over the years. In April, it was announced that Harold would again return to Ramsay Street as a regular character.

Neighbours launched the the careers of household names such as Margot Robbie, Kylie Minogue, Guy Pearce and Russell Crowe.

The long-running show airs on Network Ten in Australia and on Amazon Freevee in Britain and the US.

-AAP