Thursday, 6 November 2008

Neighbours star Ian Smith: Yobs call me fat Harold

Actor had to call police over abuse

Ian Smith - who plays Harold Bishop in Neighbours

Ian Smith is hoping to return to theatre now that he's left the show

Neighbours star Ian Smith has revealed he’s been the victim of a hate campaign.

The actor, who has played Harold Bishop for 21 years, says yobs would drive around his Australian home while making fun of his chubby figure.

And now Ian, 70, has decided to leave the soap for good.

‘You know it’s time to move on when you’re being hassled outside your home every night by drunk idiots screaming abuse,’ he tells The Sun.

‘I got so fed up I ended up calling the police. They were making my life hell.

‘I lost count of the times I was shouted at. They’d scream “Harold you fat so and so”, but obviously their language was a lot stronger.

'I love the show to bits but there’s only so much nastiness one man can take.’

Ian's final scenes air on Channel Five next year.