Neighbours longest serving actor, Ian White has revealed his decision to leave Australian soap opera Neighbours.

Ian, who plays Harold Bishop, has announced that he has decided to retire from his 30 year old career in showbiz and take life at a more relaxed pace.

Ian originally left Neighbours in 1991 after Harold went missing at sea, but returned five years later and has played Mr Bishop ever since.

One Neighbours insider called him “the heart and soul” of the programme, saying: “Ian really set the tone of the show, both on the set and behind the scenes.”

They added: “As well as being a consummate professional, he’s all about creating a positive vibe that brings the cast together. He will be very missed but at least he’ll be back to say ‘hi’ next year.”