Jason Donovan, the Australian icon who first stole hearts as Scott Robinson on Neighbours, has had a career that could only be described as a rollercoaster ride through fame, music, and personal battles. As he reflects on his life from a cosy café in Notting Hill, Donovan opens up about the highs and lows that have shaped his journey—and why, after all these years, he’s finally found peace with it all.
Donovan’s latest role in the 50th anniversary production of The Rocky Horror Show has brought him back into the spotlight, this time as a seasoned performer who knows how to work a crowd.
The show, which toured Melbourne and Sydney before heading to the West End, still draws in fans who remember Donovan from his glory days, and he’s more than happy to don the leather jacket and heels once again. “I’m 56 and I still look good in leather,” he quips, before adding with a grin, “I reckon I’ve got about a year and a half left before it starts looking tragic.”
But it hasn’t always been easy for Donovan, who shot to fame in the late 80s alongside Kylie Minogue, capturing the hearts of millions both on and off-screen.
His debut album, Ten Good Reasons, was a massive hit, and his role as Joseph in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat cemented his status as a pop star.
Yet, as he looks back, Donovan admits that the dizzying heights of fame came at a cost. “I was a 23-year-old kid wearing a Joseph coat thinking, ‘F—–g hell, look what’s happened to me.’ And it was amazing, but I’d missed that teenage period when all my mates were off surfing.”
The 90s brought challenges that Donovan couldn’t have anticipated. A libel case against The Face magazine, which had falsely accused him of lying about his sexuality, left his career in tatters.
His struggles with drugs and the pressures of being an 80s pop star trying to navigate the Britpop era only added to his difficulties.
Yet, despite it all, Donovan remains pragmatic. “The late Nineties were a rebellion against the Eighties, and I suppose I got caught up in that like everyone else… But had I really wanted to get away from it all I could have gone to North Queensland and surfed for the rest of my life.”
Through the ups and downs, Donovan’s Australian roots have kept him grounded. He attributes his resilience to his upbringing, noting that Australia’s meritocratic spirit has always been a driving force in his life. “Australia is built on convict labour. It’s a meritocracy in that respect, unlike England, which is built on blue blood and empire.”
Now, with a career that spans decades and a life that has seen its fair share of challenges, Donovan is content. He’s a man who knows who he is and what he’s about, even if that means accepting the twists and turns that fame has thrown his way. “At the end of the day, I’m just a f—–g soap star from Oz with a bunch of hits. I’m not out there saving lives. I’m just keeping people happy.”
