Neighbors actor Ian Smith, who plays Harold Bishop in the Australian soap, has announced he is leaving the show after revealing he has terminal cancer.

The 86-year-old told Australia’s 10 News First program he had pulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma, a rare form of lung cancer.

“I found out a few months ago that I have cancer, that I have a very aggressive cancer that cannot be fixed and they expect me to die,” he said.

Actress Anne Charleston, who played Madge, will return alongside Bishop for some of his final scenes.

Smith said: “I’ve had three rounds of chemotherapy – although the first one wasn’t chemotherapy, it was immunotherapy, which is quite new to the medical world.

“I really put my hand up, I think just to be a guinea pig plus the fact that 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 and hope there’s no pain, because I know that’s the beginning of the bad part”.

Sad news

A post on the Grannar X account says: “Harold waves goodbye to Ramsay Street.

“We share the sad news that Ian Smith will soon be leaving the beloved role of Harold Bishop.

“Ian first played Harold in 1987 and it has been a great privilege to welcome him back to the show over the years.”

The soap said: “In what context Anne will appear is yet to be revealed – but having the iconic pair reunited will be one last treat for fans.

“Erinsborough won’t quite be the same again – but rest assured Harold will have a send-off for Ramsay Street royalty.”

Old flame

Smith told 10 News First about his wife Gail’s death from cancer in 2019.

“It, really, I think if that hadn’t happened, I’d be a lot worse off now – but my life ended then,” he said.

“I have seen so many deaths.

“I’ve seen some good and I’ve seen some bad – and I hope I’ll go down the fine road.”

Smith first appeared in Neighbors in 1987, playing an old flame of Madge.

Due to only appear in a few episodes, his beloved character ended up staying until 1991, when Harold was washed out to sea while on vacation.

He returned to the soap in 1996, until 2009 – and after a few subsequent guest appearances came back as a regular earlier this year.