Neighbours star Ian Smith 'defying odds' after cancer treatment

Neighbours prima Ian Smith, who was diagnosed with a uncommon terminal crab past year, has said his attraction "seems to beryllium working".

Smith archetypal played Harold Bishop connected the Australian TV soap successful 1987 but near successful December 2024 aft revealing his diagnosis.

In an interrogation with BBC Radio 5 Live, the 86-year-old said helium had primitively been told "he was expected to dice successful March" but "seem to beryllium defying the odds".

Smith has received immunotherapy attraction for a uncommon signifier of lung crab called pulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma, which helium said had helped shrink his tumours significantly.

The actor, who has besides worked arsenic a screenwriter and tv producer, said helium present accepts the archetypal timeframe for his endurance "isn't happening".

"I'm present reasoning of buying a caller car. That's not what you bash if you're going to dice successful March," helium told 5 Live's Adrian Chiles.

"I'm determined to person an electrical car earlier I die. And I was speaking to a salesman. I said, 'Now, what astir the delivery? Can you get to maine earlier I'm dead?' And he's truthful shocked! I said, 'Come on, let's person a giggle'."

Smith said helium was grateful to person much time.

"I'm an atheist. I couldn't say, 'Thank you God'. I conscionable had to say, 'Thank you someone' for giving maine a 2nd chance.

"And I took the 2nd accidental and I had to accidental to myself, what are you going to bash with it?

"I'm inactive not definite I've worked retired the reply to that, but I'm surely not going to mope around."

When helium first revealed his diagnosis successful December, Smith said helium wanted "be a guinea pig" for attraction options.

The actor, who made respective returns to the Australian soap earlier yet leaving past year, said helium was "leading the way" with his treatment.

Immunotherapy uses the body's ain immune system to combat the disease.

He added that his oncologists were besides "very happy" to accidental helium was defying the odds... due to the fact that I deliberation they deliberation they're going to beryllium famous!"

But contempt the affirmative news, helium said helium was suffering "a batch from depression" due to the fact that crab had go "the elephant successful the room".

"I'm successful this limbo of not knowing what to program for... I'd emotion to spell to Japan. I've ne'er been to Japan, but I conscionable don't spot this assemblage to get maine determination and I don't privation to beryllium a fuss to anyone else."

Smith mislaid his woman Gail to crab successful 2019 aft much than 50 years of marriage.

"People are saying that thing, 'Oh, it's fantastic what they tin bash these days'", helium told 5 Live.

"Yes, I cognize it's wonderful. Of course, we are precise clever quality beings, we tin bash each of this, but it's inactive determination and from the clip I aftermath up successful the morning, crab is determination arsenic a reminder each the time, you can't get distant from it."