Neighbours star Ian Smith opens up about ‘defying the odds’ and living life to the fullest amid cancer battle

Beloved Neighbours star Ian Smith, has revealed he is “defying the odds” in his ongoing battle with cancer, leaving him reflective about how he wants to spend the precious time he has left.

The 86-year-old actor disclosed his battle with a rare form of lung cancer in an emotional interview with Network Ten in 2024.

“I found out a few months back that I have cancer, that I have a very aggressive non-fixable cancer and they expect me to die,” Smith said at the time.

“I’ve had three chemos although the first one wasn’t chemo it was immunotherapy, which is reasonably new, to the medical world.

“I’ve really put my hand up I think just to be a guinea pig, plus the fact I don’t want to die, I want to stay alive with quality as long as I can and if they can do that, I’m very happy.

“But I wake up every morning hoping there’s no pain because I know that’s the beginning of the bad part.”

Now, in a recent interview with BBC Radio 5 Live, Smith shared that he is “defying the odds”—a statement that fills him with gratitude.

“The knowledge is saying, ‘Ian, you are going to die in March’. I almost gave in and then December, Friday the 13th, I got this good news and, you know what? I just had to say, ‘Well thank you, someone.'” he said.

Reflecting on how he’s spending the time he has left, Smith admitted, “I’m still not sure I’ve worked out the answer to that but I’m certainly not going to mope around”, before sharing a lighthearted insight into his plans.

“I’m now thinking of buying a new car. That’s not what you do if you’re going to die in March,” he said.

“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’,” he joked.

Reflecting on the impact his diagnosis has had on him, Smith spoke about the changes he’s experienced on a personal level. 

In a recent interview with The Guardian, Smith opened up about his cancer battle and the impact it has had on him as a person.

“Dying does change how you live,” he told the publication.

“I vainly say I am a better person now, but I think I am more forgiving, more understanding. It is a pity that I couldn’t have come to all these realisations [before] I was sick – I could have done somebody some good in the world.”

Smith first appeared in Neighbours in 1987 as a former love interest of Madge Mitchell, portrayed by Anne Charleston.

Initially, his character was meant to feature in only a few episodes, but he ended up staying until 1991, when Harold was swept out to sea while on holiday. Smith returned to the show in 1996 and remained until 2009.

In addition to his widely recognised role on Neighbours, Smith appeared in the acclaimed series Prisoner in the recurring roles as Head of the Corrections Department, Ted Douglas.