Tom Oliver: Harold won't return

Neighbours star Tom Oliver has revealed that Ian Smith has no plans to return to Ramsay Street.

The 74-year-old actor, who plays Lou Carpenter, is still good friends with his former co-star Ian (Harold Bishop), who retired from the Australian soap in 2011.

"No, Ian won't come back. Ian is loving retirement but he has to watch his health too, because he has health issues," he said.

"I'm always teasing him about his weight. I always call him 'jelly belly'."

Tom admitted that Ian was his favourite co-star, because of their characters' love-hate 'bromance'. The pair were love rivals for Madge Ramsay's affections, played by Anne Charleston, but Harold donated a kidney to Lou and they even founded the General Store together.

"The relationship between Harold and Lou is more memorable - they were described by one Australian critic as the Laurel and Hardy of Australia," he said.

"We were supposed to be a cross between the Grumpy Old Men and The Odd Couple. It worked so well because Ian and I are on the same wavelength. I could read the script at home and cross out and rewrite his lines, because I knew what he wouldn't say. We bounce off each other a lot and we get on so well, even now socially."

The actor also admitted that he doesn't get an adrenalin rush when he heads onto the soap's set in Melbourne.

"I have never gotten excited stepping on the set. I look forward to going to work and what I'm going to do, but I don't really get excited. I do get a certain buzz when I do theatre, but not in television," he explained.

Neighbours is shown on weekdays on Channel 5.