Neighbours actor Ian Smith has said that he is "defying the odds" despite being diagnosed with terminal cancer.
Back in December, the actor, who is known for playing former café owner, Harold Bishop in the soap, had revealed that he was diagnosed with a rare form of lung cancer known as pulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma.
However, in a recent interview, Ian Smith has stated that he is "defying the odds" despite this bleak cancer diagnosis.
"I’ve got cancer, yes, I’m going to die soon but I seem to be defying the odds, which is good", Smith said. "I’m not unhappy about that at all. I have got this very rare cancer. The knowledge (brain) is saying: 'Ian you are going to die in March".
The actor also added that he "almost gave in" but ironically, on Friday 13 December he got "good news".
Smith continued: "I’m an atheist. I couldn’t say, ‘Thank you God.’ I just had to say, ‘Thank you someone’ for giving me a second chance".
"And I took the second chance and I had to say to myself, what are you going to do with it?
"I’m still not sure I’ve worked out the answer to that but I’m certainly not going to mope around".
He also insisted that he is "determined to have an electric car before I die," adding: "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 Smith first appeared on the Australian show in 1987, and stayed on until 1991, having been only initially supposed to be in it for a few episodes. Returning in 1996, Smith portrayed Harold Bishop on the show until 2009.
