Neighbours fans have recalled the legendary moment when fan favourite Harold Bishop was swept out to sea. Ian Smith, 86, who plays the stalwart of the Australian soap, announced he would be quitting the show after being diagnosed with terminal cancer.

Ian Smith, 85, first appeared in Neighbours in 1987 and became one of the soap's most famous faces, playing the beloved Harold Bishop on and off over five decades. He has now spoken about his emotional final scenes after being diagnosed with terminal cancer.

The 86-year-old told an Australian news programme he has been diagnosed with an ‘aggressive, non-fixable cancer’.

Ian Smith has quit Neighbours after being diagnosed with a “non-fixable cancer”. The 86-year-old has played fan favourite Harold Bishop on the Australian soap since 1987. The news comes shortly after the Ramsay Street stalwart had announced his return to the programme.

Actor Ian Smith, who has played Harold Bishop in Neighbours since the 1980s, says he has a 'non-fixable' form of cancer and is leaving the show with immediate effect

Ian Smith has announced that he has been given a diagnosis of terminal cancer - the actor is best known for playing Harold Bishop in long-running Australian soap Neighbours

Neighbours actor Ian Smith, who plays Harold Bishop on 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 programme he had pulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma,

Ian Smith, who plays Harold Bishop in the Australian soap Neighbours, has announced he has terminal cancer and is set to leave the show. The 86-year-old told Australia’s 10 News First that he has been diagnosed with a rare and aggressive type of lung cancer known as pulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma.

The 85-year-old, who joined the iconic soap in 1987, revealed on Monday that he has an aggressive form of lung cancer. | ITV National News