Summarize and humanize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs in EnglishVeteran Neighbours star Ian Smith is waving goodbye to Ramsay Street.The actor, 86, who plays Harold Bishop in the Aussie soap, will bid farewell to the show on Monday following his terminal cancer diagnosis. The much-anticipated episode will say so long to Smith’s iconic character, which he has been playing since 1987.In the last couple of episodes, he has been reunited with actress Anne Charleston, 82, who previously played his wife Madge before her character died on the show. Charleston recently returned to Neighbours in a fresh role, portraying a woman named Agnes who connects with Smith’s Harold.Now, Smith’s final stint on Neighbours will mark 9,925 episodes of the beloved soapie, which was axed earlier this year and will finish up for good at the end of 2025. Ian Smith, who plays Harold Bishop in the Aussie soap, will bid farewell to the show on Monday following his terminal cancer diagnosis. Ian announced in December he has pulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma, a rare form of cancer.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 this year.’I’ve got cancer, yes, I’m going to die soon but I seem to be defying the odds, which is good,’ Ian revealed.Ian added that he still had at least one more thing to tick off his bucket list.’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.”‘ Ian received news 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. The actor, 86, announced in December he has pulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma, a rare form of the disease ‘I’m still not sure I’ve worked out the answer to that but I’m certainly not going to mope around.’In January, Ian told TV Week his cancerous tumour had been shrinking after three rounds of treatment, including immunotherapy and chemotherapy.’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 stepped down from his popular role on Neighbours last year amid his terminal cancer battle.Back in 2016, the Herald Sun compiled a list of the best Australian television characters of the last 60 years and Harold Bishop came in at a respectable number 12, between Kath and Kim’s Sharon Strzelecki and Home And Away’s Bobby Simpson. 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 this year. Pictured with co-star Jackie WoodburneSpeaking to Daily Mail Australia in 2017, Ian admitted he was unaware of the auspicious honour but hoped Harold’s legacy would promote positive family relationships. ‘I’m a little proud of myself,’ a surprised Ian admitted. ‘He’s a silly old fart but there’s something in Harold that everyone likes. ‘It’s like the young kids come up to me and say, “you’re like my granddad” or “you’re just like my father.”‘If I can grab that and turn it into something where I can say “go and hug your father” – I never hugged my father, I only kissed him for the first time 10 minutes after he died.’
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