Harold Bishop

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Harold Bishop

For the former American football player, see Harold Bishop, Jr.

Harold Wayne Bishop is a fictional character

Fictional character

A character is any person, persona, identity, or entity that exists in a The arts. The process of conveying information about characters in fiction is called characterisation....
in the Australia

Australia

Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the southern hemisphere comprising the Australia of the world's smallest continent, the major island of Tasmania, and numerous list of islands of Australia in the Indian Ocean and Pacific Oceans....
n television

Television

Television is a widely used telecommunication mass-media for transmitting and receiving moving , either monochrome or color, usually accompanied by sound....
soap opera

Soap opera

A soap opera is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in Serial format on television or radio. Programs described as soap operas have existed as an entertainment long enough for audiences to recognize them simply by the term soap....
Neighbours
Neighbours

Neighbours is a long-running multiple Logie Award-winning Australian soap opera, which first aired in March 1985. The series follows the daily lives of several families who live in the six houses at the end of Ramsay Street, a short cul-de-sac in the fictional middle-class suburb of Erinsborough....
played by Ian Smith

Ian Smith (actor)

Ian Smith is an Australian soap opera character actor and television scriptwriter, best known today for his long-running role as the caring, kindly coffee shop owner Harold Bishop in Network Ten's long running Serial Neighbours....
. Smith first appeared on screen as the character from January 1987 and departed originally in September 1991. He returned in October 1996 and finally departed in February 2009, making him one of the longest serving characters in the show's history.
ld arrived in Erinsborough

Erinsborough

Erinsborough is the fictional setting for the long-running Australian soap opera Neighbours, which premiered in March 1985. Erinsborough is often contrasted with the neighbouring and equally fictitious suburbs of Eden Hills, West Waratah, Waratah Heights, Elliot Park, and Anson's Corner....
in 1987, invited by Madge Mitchell's daughter Charlene (Kylie Minogue

Kylie Minogue

Kylie Ann Minogue, Order of the British Empire, , is an Australian pop singer-songwriter and occasional actress. She rose to prominence in the late 1980s through her role in the Australian television soap opera Neighbours, before commencing her career as a recording artist in 1987....
).

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Encyclopedia

For the former American football player, see Harold Bishop, Jr.

Harold Wayne Bishop is a fictional character

Fictional character

A character is any person, persona, identity, or entity that exists in a The arts. The process of conveying information about characters in fiction is called characterisation....
in the Australia

Australia

Television

Television is a widely used telecommunication mass-media for transmitting and receiving moving , either monochrome or color, usually accompanied by sound....
soap opera

Soap opera

Ian Smith (actor)

History

Harold arrived in Erinsborough

Erinsborough

Kylie Minogue

Anne Charleston

Anne Charleston is an Australian actress currently based in Galway, Ireland and the United Kingdom. She is probably most famous for her role as Madge Bishop in the Australian soap opera Neighbours and more recently as Lily Butterfield in Emmerdale....
) in 1988.

Harold and Madge

Harold and Madge had been lovers in High School in Queensland

Queensland

Queensland is a States and territories of Australia of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory to the west, South Australia to the south-west and New South Wales to the south....
, but Madge had opted to marry Fred Mitchell and move to Coffs Harbour, New South Wales

Coffs Harbour, New South Wales

Geographic coordinate system: Coffs Harbour is a coastal city located on the north coast of New South Wales about 540 km north of Sydney and 440 km south of Brisbane....
with him where they had two children. Harold later married a woman named Mavis, who bore him two children, David

David Bishop (Neighbours)

David Bishop was a fictional character in the Australian television soap opera Neighbours, played by Kevin Harrington. He first appeared in 1988 for his father Harold Bishop's wedding to his High School sweetheart Madge Bishop ....
(Kevin Harrington

Kevin Harrington

Kevin Harrington is an Australian actor who is perhaps best known for his role as David Bishop on the Australian soap opera Neighbours. He first appeared as best man at father Harold's wedding to Madge in 1988, before becoming a regular in 2003....
) and Kerry (Linda Hartley-Clark). Unfortunately, Mavis died, leaving Harold to raise David and Kerry alone.

Kerry Bishop

In 1989, Harold was reunited with Kerry, who had been estranged from him in the intervening years, and her daughter Sky

Sky Mangel

Sky Olivia Mangel was a character from the Australian television soap opera Neighbours, played by Miranda Fryer from the character's first appearance in 1989 until her departure in 1991, and by Stephanie McIntosh since 2003....
(played at the time by Miranda Fryer

Miranda Fryer

Miranda Fryer is an Australian actress who played the part of Sky Bishop/Mangel in the Australian soap opera Neighbours from 1989 to 1991....
). After the uneasy reunion, Kerry and Harold became closer. Kerry married neighbour Joe Mangel

Joe Mangel

Joe Mangel was a fictional character who appears in the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Mark Little . He first appeared in 1988 until 1991, and made a return for four months in 2005....
(Mark Little

Mark Little (Australian actor)

Mark Little , is an Australian actor, television presenter and comedian, born in a remote part of Queensland....
), who Harold initially did not approve of, and she moved in with him across the street from Harold. Kerry was killed by a stray bullet during a protest against duck hunting in 1990.

Disappearance & Return in 1996

Harold was washed away in the surf on 13 September 1991 and was thought drowned, although no body was ever recovered. Harold was eventually spotted alive and well by Helen Daniels

Helen Daniels

Helen Daniels was a fictional character in the Australian soap opera Neighbours, portrayed by the late actress Anne Haddy. The character appeared from the very first episode in 1985 until her death in 1997, making her the longest-serving original character....
(Anne Haddy

Anne Haddy

Anne Haddy was an Australian film and television actor....
) in October 1996. Harold had lost his memory and been living as a Salvation Army

Salvation Army

The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the Christian Church. It has a quasi-military structure and it was founded in 1865 in Great Britian as the East London Christian Mission by William Booth and Catherine Booth....
volunteer by the name of Ted (a reference to a character Ian Smith had previously played in Prisoner
Prisoner (TV series)

Prisoner is an Australian television soap opera which was set in the Wentworth Detention Centre, a List of fictional prisons women's prison....
).

Renewing their vows

Madge and Harold then renewed their vows in early 1997, and directly after the ceremony left to resume their life elsewhere. They soon returned to Ramsay Street and moved back into Number 24. However, tragedy struck when Madge died of cancer in 2001, leaving Harold riddled with grief.

Family returning

Since then son David

David Bishop (Neighbours)

Liljana Bishop

Liljana Bishop was a fictional character in the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Marcella Russo. She first appeared in 2003 and remained in the show until her presumed death in 2005 following the Neighbours plane crash....
(Marcella Russo

Marcella Russo

Marcella Russo is an Australian actress who is best known for playing Liljana Bishop in the Australian soap opera Neighbours from 2003 until 2005, when her character was killed off in the Neighbours plane crash....
) and daughter Serena

Serena Bishop

Serena Bishop was a fictional character in the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Lara Sacher. She first appeared in 2003 and remained in the show until her presumed drowning 2005, following a major plane crash caused by Robert Robinson ....
(Lara Sacher

Lara Sacher

Lara Sacher is an Australian actor who played Serena Bishop on the Australian soap opera Neighbours from 2003 to 2005, when the character went missing after a plane crash along with her mother, Liljana Bishop and father, David Bishop ....
). Harold's other granddaughter, Sky Mangel

Sky Mangel

Stephanie McIntosh

Stephanie McIntosh is an Australian actress and singer. She is best known for her role as Sky Mangel in the Australian soap opera Neighbours and her music career, which began with the release of her debut album Tightrope in September 2006....
), also returned.

Stroke

Harold had a minor stroke

Stroke

A stroke is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to a disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. According to the National Stroke Association, a "stroke" occurs when a blood clot blocks and artery or a blood vessel breaks, interrupting blood flow to an area of the brain....
in late 2003, which dramatically changed his personality and many other aspects of his life. He stopped attending the Salvation Army, as well as renouncing his vegetarianism and consuming alcohol. In addition to this he also displayed a marked increase in overt sexual behaviour, for example his horrific misunderstanding of a reference to Isabelle Hoyland

Isabelle Hoyland

Isabelle "Izzy" Hoyland was a fictional character in the Australian soap opera Neighbours, portrayed by actress Natalie Bassingthwaighte, she first appeared in 2003, left in 2006 and returned briefly in 2007....
's (Natalie Bassingthwaighte

Natalie Bassingthwaighte

Natalie Bassingthwaighte is a Gold Logie-nominated Australian actress, singer, and television personality. She is the former lead vocalist of electro-pop band Rogue Traders, author of an inspirational book for teenage girls and host of So You Think You Can Dance Australia....
) buns. These lewd actions could be said to have reached a climax in an episode featuring Harold peering through a window at a "lingerie party" hosted by Sky Mangel

Sky Mangel

Coffee Shop/General Store

Harold became the owner of the coffee shop at Lassiters Complex, until it exploded in the final episode of 2004. He subsequently owned and ran the General Store at Lassiters with Lou Carpenter

Lou Carpenter

Louis Thomas Carpenter is a fictional character from the Australian television soap opera Neighbours, played by Tom Oliver. He first appeared in 1988 and returned in January 1992 as a regular character....
(Tom Oliver

Tom Oliver

----Tom Oliver is an England-born Australian television, film and theatre actor, best known today for playing the role of Lou Carpenter in the Australian soap opera Neighbours....
). The store was innovative in its return to traditional values offering staff dressed in aprons and straw hats, hot food, groceries and a dry cleaning service. Originally this was ran solely by Lou as a cost cutting measure. This entailed him taking home the items of clothing, spraying them with water then hanging them on his washing line. However he was soon rumbled by Lyn Scully (Janet Andrewartha

Janet Andrewartha

Janet Andrewartha is an Australian actress. She is famous for playing on-going roles in two popular Australian soap operas: that of Reb Kean in Prisoner and Lyn Scully in Neighbours....
) who apprehended him whilst hand drying her undergarments. The service has since resumed with a real dry cleaners. In 2006 The General Store ran into trouble when Paul Robinson

Paul Robinson (Neighbours)

Paul James Robinson is a fictional character in the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Stefan Dennis. He appeared in the first episode in 1985 in television that was broadcast on Seven Network, and was in the episodes that was broadcast on Network Ten up until August 1992 and made a guest appearance in 1993....
(Stefan Dennis

Stefan Dennis

Stefan Dennis is an Australian actor most famous for playing the role of Paul Robinson in the Australian soap opera Neighbours from 1985?1993....
) opened a new cafe, Lucinda's. Both Harold and his co-owner Lou Carpenter

Lou Carpenter

Plane crash

In 2004, Harold had a brief romance with Svetlanka Ristic

Svetlanka Ristic

Svetlanka Ristic, , was a fictional character in the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Deidre Rubenstein. She first appeared in 2004 having two major storylines, both of which revolved around her assumed dead daughter Liljana Bishop....
(Deidre Rubenstein

Deidre Rubenstein

Deidre Rubenstein is an Australian television and theatre actress, well known for her performance in Australian soap operas.Rubenstein graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Art in 1967 and has worked extensively in live theatre, television, films and as a narrator of audio books....
), the mother of his daughter-in-law Liljana. However in October 2005, he was hit hard by tragedy once again when his son David, daughter-in-law Liljana, and granddaughter Serena, were killed when a plane hosting a party to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of Lassiters crashed. Sky was also in the plane but she survived. David's body was found but Liljana's and Serena's have not been found.

Paul Robinson

On the season finale of Neighbours for 2005, an enraged Harold stormed into Paul Robinson's house uninvited. Paul was talking to his son on the phone at the time and Harold, sensing the time was right to carry out the last stage in his plan, came creeping up from behind, arms outstretched. Harold wrapped his hands around Paul's neck, throttling him until he was rendered unconscious and fell to the ground.

Revenge

The reason for Harold's uncharacteristically gruesome assault was his fervent desire for revenge, as he felt that Paul was unwittingly responsible for the bombing of the party plane and the subsequent death of Harold's new found family. It was also revealed that Harold had put Paul through a period of psychological torture, involving quoting aggressive religious verse at Robinson down the phone, deliberately opening his windows and doors and generally terrorising Paul to such an extent that by the end of Harold's campaign of vengeance he was completely housebound, unable to go outside fearing attempts on his life and felt the need to fit an extensive CCTV system to monitor his house at all times. This is dark side to Harold that no one had ever seen before. Eventually, in an attempt to find 'his old self', he left Erinsborough in 2006, but he has since returned. Recently, Harold has had to face up to a number of challenges, including the pregnancy of his granddaughter, foiling a vodka home-brewing scheme concocted by Lou and his Russian mail-order bride Mishka

Mishka Schneiderova

Mishka Schneiderova is a fictional recurring character in the Network Ten soap opera Neighbours, played by actress Deborah Kennedy. Her first appearance was in April 2006, and her last appearance was in November 2006....
(Deborah Kennedy

Deborah Kennedy

Deborah Kennedy is an Australian actress recognised for several television and film roles, and for her appearance in a famous advertisement.Kennedy began her acting career on the stage, with the Marion Street Theatre, appearing in The Trojan Woman and Macbeth....
), and subsequently an on going battle with the Russian mafia

Mafia

The Mafia is a Sicily criminal society which is believed to have emerged in late 19th century Sicily. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct....
.

Golden years

Despite entering his golden years, Harold is very much in touch with modern culture. He has a keen interest in music, spanning such genres as rap/hip hop

Hip hop music

Hip hop music is a music genre typically consisting of a rhythmic vocal style called rapping which is accompanied with backing beats. Hip hop music is part of hip hop culture, which began in the Bronx, in New York City in the 1970s, predominantly among African Americans and Latino Americans....
. This is displayed when he dons an afro style wig and sunglasses to become his "Afro Harold" alter ego. This strand of Harold first appeared when he was fostering Tad and enjoyed a brief revival when pictures of him during this time were found by Sky and Serena. This is not the end of his musical talents however as he a deadly efficient tuba player, who entertains Ramsay Street residents with recitals as part of the Salvation Army Band. Harold is also a dedicated follower of fashion as illustrated recently when he believed model Elle McPherson could be coming to the street (In reality, an elderly of the same name did appear when she wandered off from a nursing home). He possessed an in-depth knowledge of ladies undergarments and was able to give Lou expert advice on the latest material and trends. (This could well be a lingering element of his personality which has remained from his post stroke period as "Parallel Harold".)

Departure and Return

Harold departed Ramsay Street on 28 March 2008, to travel across Australia. Valda Sheergold

Valda Sheergold

Valda Lynette Sheergold is a fictional character from the Australian television soap opera Neighbours, played by Joan Sydney on a recurring basis from 2002?2005, and returning on a permanent basis as of 24 September 2007....
(Joan Sydney

Joan Sydney

Joan Sydney is an actress best known for her work on Australian television.Her first prominent role was as Margaret Maggie Sloan,the Matron of the Wandin Valley Bush Nursing Hospital in A Country Practice from 1983 to 1990, and again in 1994....
) also left with him, to be dropped off at her home in Shelley Bay. He left UK screens on 18 June 2008.

Harold returned on 24 June 2008. Episodes screened in Australia in July 2008 show Harold embarking on a new romance with Kate Newton (Briony Behets

Briony Behets

Briony Behets is a United Kingdom-born actress who found fame acting in Australian soap operas of the 1970s.Her father's work as a civil engineer took him around the world and as a result much of Behets' childhood was spent in Germany, Africa and Sierra Leone before returning to England....
). They both live in a caravan and Harold invited her to join him on his travels around Australia. After vacillating she agreed and on 1 August 2008 Harold and Kate set off to go around Australia in their caravan. Later on in the year Harold came back to Ramsey street on his own surprising Susan and Karl when they were looking for Lennie the pig. Once he was back in Ramsey street Lou had a bad cough and refused to go to the hospital as he said "at our age you don't know what they'll find," so Harold out of support said he would go to the hospital with Lou to have a checkup.

Cancer

Karl told Harold on 18 November 2008 that he had Prostate Cancer. After finding it difficult to come to terms with his illness, Harold shuts Karl out of his life even though he is trying to help him, though Harold just ignores him. When the street is having a BBQ, Karl makes a speech about how their lives would be so different without him, Harold then goes to the cemetery to talk to Madge about his illness and Karl turns up saying that they will fight this together. Harold accepts this offer and says to Karl that he will do whatever he can to save his life. He says this while in the General Store and Zeke over hears him thinking that it is Karl's health that is deteriorating. When Zeke questions this to Harold, he tells him the truth that he has cancer. Zeke is so upset by this news by saying "everybody I love either leaves me or dies" and storms out of the store. Harold tells Karl what happened and Susan overhears him. When Susan and Karl are talking about Harold's situation, Lou over hears this and asks what is going on. Harold is then forced to tell him what is wrong with him. Lou has been his best friend and loyal companion for many years and is absolutely distraught by the news. Before Harold goes into theatre Carmella gives him some rosary beads and they pray together about the changes they are going to face. Harold goes into theatre on December 3rd and is resting when Susan comes into his room and talks to him where Harold tells her that he is not going to have chemotheropy. It is until Steph Scully comes in and tells him about her day and her new changes to her life. Harold then decides to have the chemo.