Jason Sean Donovan (born 1 June 1968) is an Australian actor and singer. He initially achieved fame in the Australian soap Neighbours, playing Scott Robinson, before beginning a career in music in 1988. In the UK he has sold over 3 million records. His debut album Ten Good Reasons was the highest-selling album in the UK in 1989, with sales of over 1.5 million. He has had Four UK No. 1 singles. He has also appeared in several stage musicals, most prominently in the lead role of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in the early 1990s.
Jason Donovan was born on Saturday, 1 June 1968 in the Melbourne suburb Malvern, Victoria. He is the son of Australian actress Sue McIntosh (née Menlove) and British-born veteran stage and television actor Terence Donovan (who also appeared in Neighbours) who has English and Irish heritage.[1][2] Following his parents' separation and divorce, his father was awarded full custody of him in 1973 and brought him up on his own.[3] Donovan has had no contact with his mother since the divorce.[3] He attended De La Salle College Malvern.
Career
1980–1989: Television career and Neighbours
Donovan made his first television appearance at age 11 in a guest role on the Australian series Skyways in 1980. In the episode, his on-screen sister was played by future Neighbours co-star Kylie Minogue. He also appeared in the series I Can Jump Puddles (1981) and Golden Pennies (1985) before entering the cast of Neighbours in 1986 as Scott Robinson (replacing actor Darius Perkins, who had played the role for the first year of the series). His character's story arcs included an onscreen romance and wedding to Charlene Mitchell (played by Minogue), and helped boost the show's popularity with British as well as Australian audiences.
He won his first Logie Award for "Best New Talent" in 1987 and received a commendation in the category "Performance by a Male Actor In a Series" from the Television Society of Australia's Penguin Awards. In 1988 he was awarded the Silver Logie for the "Most Popular Actor" on Australian television.[4]
In addition to his regular role in Neighbours, Donovan appeared as "Happy Houston" in the 1988 Australian World War II mini-series The Heroes, based on the historical novel by Ronald McKie. He won the 1990 Logie Award for "Most Popular Actor in a Mini-Series".[5]
Donovan left Neighbours in 1989. Twenty years later, he said that he had been asked to return to tie in with the show's 25th anniversary in 2010, but was unable to do so due to other work commitments.[6]
1988–1991: Pop career
While he was still appearing in Neighbours, Donovan followed Minogue (who had already left the series by this point) by pursuing a pop career. His early exploration of music included recording a demo written by pub rock band Noiseworks, and he was offered the chance to record the song "Waiting for a Star To Fall", later a hit for Boy Meets Girl.[7]
However he followed Minogue by signing a recording contract with Mushroom Records in Australia, and with PWL in the UK. Although the production team of Stock Aitken Waterman (SAW) initially resisted working with Donovan, fearing recording with a second Neighbours star would be "too tacky", the trio quickly warmed to him, recording his first single, "Nothing Can Divide Us", after it was rejected by Rick Astley.[8] The track was released in 1988, reaching number five in the UK and number three in Australia.[8]
Donovan's next single, a duet with Minogue, "Especially for You", was released in late November 1988. While the idea for a duet was at first rejected by SAW, who felt it too commercial, the producers changed their minds when retail chain Woolworths ordered 250,000 copies of the record.[9] Donovan agreed to the duet with Minogue without reservation, feeling it would be good for his career.[7] After spending four weeks at No. 2 in the UK, it hit No. 1 in January 1989. It was the fourth-highest selling single in the UK in 1988, and 17th in Australia for 1989. The track became SAW's biggest ever hit in the UK, ultimately selling in excess of one million copies.[9][10] The issue of UK pop magazine Smash Hits that featured Minogue and Donovan on the cover to promote the release also sold one million copies.[9] The song was accompanied by a widely noted image change for Donovan, who shed his trademark Neighboursmullet for a contemporary undercut.[9]
Donovan's next single, "Too Many Broken Hearts", reached number one in the UK in March 1989.[11] The singer said he initially had no idea the song would go on to be so successful, and thought it might just be an album track.[11] He confessed to at first being underwhelmed by the video, and was surprised by the ecstatic response it earned at his label.[7] However, he now regards the track as one of SAW's best songs, as well as being his defining hit.[11]
He released his début album, Ten Good Reasons, in May 1989, which also reached number one (for three weeks). For two weeks, Donovan held the number one positions in the singles chart and the albums chart simultaneously, when his next single, a cover of Brian Hyland's "Sealed With a Kiss", entered the UK charts at number one.
In December 1989, he took part in Band Aid II's version of "Do They Know it's Christmas", which also included Minogue, whose exit from Neighbours had by now been shown on screen in both Australia and the UK. His own exit from the show had by this stage been shown on Australian television, although it was not aired on British television until several months later.
Donovan released his second album, Between The Lines, in May 1990, again produced by Stock Aitken Waterman. He had greater creative input on the record, asking for more material that was within his range, after he struggled with some of the vocal requirements of certain songs on his debut album.[7] He has stated that he believes the album's consistent lyrical themes of heartbreak and relationship breakdowns were references by songwriters SAW to his then recent split from Kylie Minogue.[7]
Although the album reached Platinum status in the UK, it was less successful than his debut a year before, peaking at no. 2 and selling only a fifth as many copies. Assessing the performance of the album, Donovan concluded that while it was artistically a much stronger record than his debut album, he felt it was impossible to match the very high UK sales of Ten Good Reasons.[7]
Five singles were released from the second album, and although they all reached the UK Top 30, they also signalled a decline in his popularity. Between 1988 and 1992, Donovan garnered 16 Top 40 hit singles in the UK.
Speaking of the album's commercial performance, Donovan said: "Between the Lines wasn't the successful record that Ten Good Reasons was, but how do you match that? Ten Good Reason's was just a moment in time."[7] He also added that he accepted at the time that "every bubble has to burst", and he knew he'd have to prioritise evolving his career.[12]
Donovan then embarked on an extensive world tour in 1990, The "Doin' Fine Tour", against the wishes of his label, which wanted him available for promotional duties. The tour covered the UK, Ireland, mainland Europe, Australia, Singapore and other parts of South East Asia. The Dublin concert was recorded and released on VHS in 1990; and released on DVD in 2010.
While the decision to tour upset Pete Waterman and Donovan's record label, the singer credits the live shows with ensuring his longevity as a stage performer, after Andrew Lloyd Webber attended one of the shows and was impressed with his performance.[12]
Donovan continued to act alongside his pop career, and in 1990 he appeared in his first feature film, Blood Oath (released in some countries as Prisoners of the Sun).
1991–1993: Stage career and The Face lawsuit
With his 1991 single "R.S.V.P." underperforming on the charts, and his wish to evolve his music towards a more adult, Happy Mondays-inspired sound rejected by Pete Waterman, Donovan was keen to find a new path forward.[13] Donovan's management felt a return to acting was a way to transition, as his "shelf life as a pop star was coming to an end."[13]
In 1992, Donovan launched a libel action against The Face magazine which had published allegations that he was homosexual. Donovan won £200,000 in damages and the magazine had to pay a further £100,000 in costs, but the lawsuit created a backlash with people accusing him of being homophobic.[14] Although he had been a mild drug user who had smoked cannabis joints up until this point, in the months after his libel action Donovan began using cocaine.[15] In a 2007 Marie Claire interview, and also in his 2007 autobiography Between The Lines: My Story Uncut, Donovan stated that suing The Face was the biggest mistake of his life.[15]
Donovan moved to Polydor Records and released his third album, All Around The World (1993). However, the album was unsuccessful, failing to reach the UK Top 20 and was not released at all in his native Australia. His contract with Polydor was not extended and it would be Donovan's last album for 15 years.
1995–1999: Drug addiction, The Last Bullet and continued musical work
Donovan later admitted that by 1995 he had a serious drug problem, taking around three grams (1/10 oz) of cocaine a day. In early 1995, he attended model Kate Moss's 21st birthday party at The Viper Room in Los Angeles, where he suffered a drug overdose.[16]
Later in 1995, Donovan starred in the Australian TV film The Last Bullet[17] with Koji Tamaki, directed by Michael Pattison, which was set in World War II on the Pacific island of Borneo.
In 1998, Donovan took the lead role of Dr. Frank N. Furter in the UK touring production of The Rocky Horror Show, where he met stage manager Angela Malloch.[18] After the pair had a brief relationship, Malloch became pregnant and gave Donovan an ultimatum that he had to kick drugs once and for all if he wanted to be part of their child's life.[19]
In late 1999, Donovan stated that he still used cocaine, saying: "I still have a joint and I still take coke, but not as much as I did two years ago."[20] In 2011, he stated that he has been drug-free since 2000, the year his first child was born.[21]
2000–2006: Fatherhood, MDA and participation in I'm a Celebrity...
Donovan's daughter Jemma Donovan was born in March 2000. Since then, with his drug problems now under control, he continued to act on stage and television, and had a role in the medical-legal television drama MDA (2003–05), on Australia's ABC network. Since 2003, Donovan has also lent his voice to the Buzz! series of quiz video games.[citation needed]
In late 2004, he was headlining in the stage musical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at the London Palladium. He finished his original run on 13 March 2005, but was then invited back from June onwards to play in the final two months of the show, until its closure on 4 September 2005. Following this, he has toured the UK performing a few gigs and returned to the stage in January 2006 to star in a UK tour of Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd. After this, he returned to Melbourne to star in David Eldrige's Australian transfer of the London drama Festen.[citation needed]
In 2005, Donovan's mobile phone number was circulated around the web in Australia, due to an image that was taken in Sydney. It appeared that Donovan was trying to sell his car, and unwittingly released his mobile phone number to the public. From 10 September, his answering machine had a special message on it, because he was frustrated by the number of calls he was receiving. Virgin placed advertisements in several high-profile Australian newspapers, urging people not to call Donovan, one of their customers.[22] Virgin Mobile later admitted[when?] that the photos were part of a marketing ploy. Virgin also ran TV advertisements showing Donovan answering prank calls, asking the viewer not to call him, then displaying his number.[citation needed]
Donovan took part in I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! in 2006 and finished in 3rd place. He took part in many Bushtucker Trials, which included wearing a helmet full of insects and playing a giant game of Operation. Donovan lost out on the King of the Jungle Crown to Matt Willis. Despite his loss, during an interview on The Steve Wright Show on BBC Radio 2 (January 2008), he said that his appearance on I'm a Celebrity... had revitalised his career.[citation needed]
Donovan performed a medley of songs from Joseph along with other actors who have played the eponymous role (Donny Osmond and Lee Mead) at the Concert for Diana in July 2007.[23]
In early 2008, Donovan had a role in ITV's post-watershed soap opera Echo Beach; the series was cancelled after 12 episodes. He also presented Sunday Night with Jason Donovan, a programme on The One Network of British local radio stations.
On 25 September 2008, Donovan performed in the canteen at the head offices of Tesco in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire. He was promoting his forthcoming album, Let It Be Me, which was released on 10 November 2008. The album, his first for 15 years, reached No. 28 in the UK.
In February 2011, Donovan appeared on the BBC series Ready, Steady, Cook. Later in 2011, he performed on the Here and Now Tour, and also toured in a production of The Sound of Music playing Captain Von Trapp. The production co-starred Verity Rushworth as Maria. From September 2011, Donovan took part in the ninth series of the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing.[24] He was partnered with dancer Kristina Rihanoff and finished third in the competition. Donovan presented a voice-tracked radio show on Heart each Sunday from 10am to 12noon. Donovan temporarily left the station in 2013 [25]
In March 2012, Donovan released a new album of covers, Sign Of Your Love, which peaked at number 36 in the UK Albums Chart. In May 2012, Donovan was interviewed by Piers Morgan on the ITV series Piers Morgan's Life Stories, in which he talked openly about his career, his past, his former relationship with Kylie Minogue, and his battle with drugs. During the interview, Donovan also admitted that he'd undergone hair transplantation to counteract his thinning hair. In summer 2012, he appeared as a judge on ITV's talent search show Superstar. In late 2012, Donovan again toured the UK and Europe in a new version of Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds, this time playing Parson Nathaniel.
In 2013, Donovan reprised his role as Tick/Mitzi in the UK national touring production of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. On 5 May 2013, Donovan was heard narrating Pick TV's budget version of Rude Tube, entitled Video Surf. Donovan revealed in January 2015 that he was invited to return to Neighbours for the show's 30th anniversary celebrations, but he declined the offer, adding "it's just not something I want to do".[26] However, he agreed to take part in the documentary special Neighbours 30th: The Stars Reunite, which aired in Australia and the UK in March 2015.[27][28]
2015–2019: Radio, Tours and Joseph return
Since 2015, Donovan has presented Jason Donovan's 80s Rewind (known as All 80s from 2015 to 2017) on Heart Radio, which airs on Sunday evenings from 7pm until 10pm.
In 2016, Donovan toured the UK with his Ten Good Reasons and Greatest Hits Tour.
In 2017, Heart 80s Radio was launched and he began presenting Sunday Mornings from 9am to 12noon in addition to his 80s Rewind Sunday Evening Show on Heart. In December 2017 it was announced that in the new year Donovan would be taking his second break from his radio shows. [citation needed]
In July 2022, Donovan returned as Scott to Neighbours for a one-off cameo appearance (alongside Kylie Minogue as Charlene) for what was believed (at the time) to be the show's final ever episode.[30][31] Subsequently, Amazon announced that they had picked up the series for their Freevee streaming service, and Amazon started filming the revived series in April 2023.[32][33]
Personal life
Donovan is married to Angela Malloch, with whom he has three children.[34] They live in West London and Oxfordshire.[35] Donovan's half-sister is former Neighbours star Stephanie McIntosh.[36] Although he is estranged from his mother, he is close with his maternal grandmother and other relatives.[37]
Donovan was the subject of an episode of the BBC TV series Who Do You Think You Are? on 30 August 2010 in which he discovered he is a descendant of the pioneer William Cox, who built the first road across Australia's Blue Mountains in 1814. Donovan confirmed he is Jewish through his maternal great-grandmother, Eileen Dawson (née Lyons).[37]
The Australian Entertainment Mo Awards (commonly known informally as the Mo Awards), were annual Australian entertainment industry awards. They recognise achievements in live entertainment in Australia from 1975 to 2016. Jason Donovan won one award in that time.[38]
Year
Nominee / work
Award
Result (wins only)
1991
Jason Donovan
Australian Showbusiness Ambassador
Won
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