A Neighbours legend who was told he wouldn't live past March has given a huge health update. Ian Smith, known for his iconic role as Harold Bishop in the Australian soap, was given the grim warning after being diagnosed with an aggressive and rare lung cancer last year.
However, the 86-year-old has now revealed he is beating the odds. "That's why I've got this solid grin on my face," Ian said. "Apart from being 86, I feel good.
I'm in no pain. I know I have cancer, because doctors keep telling me I have it." Back in December 2024, Smith made the tough decision to say farewell to Neighbours after discovering he had pulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma, leaving his doctor so moved they cried whilst breaking the news.
This led Smith to view life through new lenses. He told The Guardian: "I began doing very dramatic things, like looking at every sunset, watching children play.The week before, I would have killed them." Smith prepared for the end, feeling the weight of mortality shift his perspective. "Dying does change how you live," he acknowledged. "I vainly say I am a better person now, but I think I am more forgiving, more understanding.
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