Neighbours legends unexpected update after cancer | UK News

A Neighbours star, who beforehand give up his appearing profession due to a terminal cancer diagnosis, has shared a optimistic update on his health. Ian Smith, 87, who performed beloved Harold Bishop on the Aussie cleaning soap, first shared that he had terminal lung cancer in December 2024. 

He was given just months to live after being told that he had pulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma –  a uncommon and terminal type of lung cancer. But now, it appears his prognosis has improved in an “unexpected” update. The legendary actor told the press: “It (the cancer) has evened out and immunotherapy is keeping it there and my markers have been the same for the last three treatments. They (the medical team) don’t know why I have had this incredible result, they can’t tell me why I am not giving in to cancer.”

Following the great news, Ian admitted that it will be good to make a return to his appearing profession as he said: “Wouldn’t it be nice if I got a small part in a stage play?”

Ian beforehand appeared on ITV’s Good Morning Britain, where he shared an update on his cancer battle. He said: “It’s a cruel, ugly, brutal place, and I don’t know how, but it looks like I’m having the best luck in the world with defeating this cancer.

“Although the oncologist cannot inform me that, they said because this cancer is so uncommon, so drastic, so extreme, so terrible, they do not know, they do not know what it is going to do.” 

Ian determined that the grim remedies had been value prolonging his life for, as he added: “After my last treatment I asked, ‘How long do I have to keep going with these treatments?'” 

He explained that he was told he may stop treatment at any time, before including: “[The doctor] said ‘No. We know so little about this cancer that we don’t know that if you stop taking the treatments, it may roar back into life’.

“So I said: ‘Look, for an hour’s treatment every three weeks, I think I can put up with that,’ and it looks like these very clever people are going to keep me alive.” 

The actor determined to go away the solid of Neighbours after he obtained the diagnosis, having been a much-loved character on the show since 1987. 

Earlier this 12 months, his character had an emotional send-off as Harold determined it was time to go away Ramsay Street. He determined to transfer to Port Douglas, Queensland, to be close to his granddaughter, Sky.