OMEN
03-01-2009, 02:58 PM
Harold Bishop, long-running resident of Ramsay Street, the fictional Melbourne cul-de-sac home to the television soap Neighbours, has outlasted them all - Bouncer the dog, nosey Mrs Mangel and the countless residents who moved to Brisbane.
Washed into the surf by a rogue wave back in 1991, he washed back five years later. Driving into the setting sun with his bride Madge back in 1997, he was only gone a few scant months before he returned.
But this is the last time, says actor Ian Smith, and last night, after 3872 episodes, Bishop bowed out of the soap when he left Erinsborough in his mobile home to explore Australia.
In real life, Smith announced his retirement last year citing exhaustion. "I was dead tired," he said. His immediate plan - in a twist of life imitates art - is to "take off around Australia" with his wife of 39 years, Gail.
The final bow of Bishop has generated headlines in Britain and prompted tributes from some seemingly unlikely celebrity fans, including Welsh rocker Tom Jones, who said "Harold, good luck in the future from me, we're gonna miss you" and '80s pop star Rick Astley.
Harold survived to see Neighbours evolve into a massive international export for its producer Fremantle Media.
"Ian is a wonderfully classy actor, and Harold is a character who, like a fine wine, just got better and better," Fremantle's chief executive Mark Fennessy said.
SMH
Washed into the surf by a rogue wave back in 1991, he washed back five years later. Driving into the setting sun with his bride Madge back in 1997, he was only gone a few scant months before he returned.
But this is the last time, says actor Ian Smith, and last night, after 3872 episodes, Bishop bowed out of the soap when he left Erinsborough in his mobile home to explore Australia.
In real life, Smith announced his retirement last year citing exhaustion. "I was dead tired," he said. His immediate plan - in a twist of life imitates art - is to "take off around Australia" with his wife of 39 years, Gail.
The final bow of Bishop has generated headlines in Britain and prompted tributes from some seemingly unlikely celebrity fans, including Welsh rocker Tom Jones, who said "Harold, good luck in the future from me, we're gonna miss you" and '80s pop star Rick Astley.
Harold survived to see Neighbours evolve into a massive international export for its producer Fremantle Media.
"Ian is a wonderfully classy actor, and Harold is a character who, like a fine wine, just got better and better," Fremantle's chief executive Mark Fennessy said.
SMH