Neighbours legend Ian Smith shares surprising dying wish after terminal cancer diagnosis

Veteran Neighbours star Ian Smith has shared his dying wish after being diagnosed with terminal cancer last year. The actor, 86, who played soap stalwart Harold Bishop since 1987, announced in December he had been diagnosed with pulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma, a rare form of the disease. In an interview with BBC Radio 5 Live, Ian revealed that he was "defying the odds" after initially being told he would die by March 2025.

He told the site: "I’ve got cancer, yes, I’m going to die soon but I seem to be defying the odds, which is good." Ian received news that he would outlive his original prognosis just before Christmas. "I took the second chance and I had to say to myself, 'What are you going to do with it?'" he said. "I’m still not sure I’ve worked out the answer to that but I’m certainly not going to mope around."

Earlier this year, Ian revealed his cancerous tumour had been shrinking after three rounds of treatment, including immunotherapy and chemotherapy. Speaking to TV Week he said: "I did a PET scan and the words, I believe, were 'significant metabolic change, significant shrinkage of tumour,'" he said at the time. "I've gone from a threat of dying this coming March to maybe a few more months… and now, God, who knows? It's not a cure and it won't be a cure, but I certainly have got a year, maybe two. That's amazing. It really is."

Ian exclaimed that now he has more time left, he's determined to fulfil one wish before it's too late. "I'm now thinking of buying a new car. That's not what you do if you're going to die in March," he revealed. "I'm determined to have an electric car before I die. And I was speaking to a salesman. I said, 'Now, what about the delivery? Can you get to me before I'm dead?' And he was so shocked! I said, 'Come on, let's have a giggle.'"

Back in 2016, the Herald Sun compiled a list of the best Australian television characters of the last 60 years, ranking Harold Bishop at number 12, between Kath and Kim's Sharon Strzelecki and Home And Away's Bobby Simpson. Ian, who has seen the likes of Delta Goodrem, Margot Robbie, and Kylie Minogue launch their careers on the iconic soap, admitted that he was often surprised by the level of success his former co-stars had achieved.

"I've had to hang my head in shame on a few occasions as I had no idea certain actors would go on to be so huge," he said. "I always knew Kylie was going to be a great success. I just didn't know how big. I remember seeing her in the green room on the phone talking to someone who wanted her to stand behind a product. The way she handled that conversation was just outstanding. She could've given lessons in it and I thought, 'You're going to go far.'"