JASON
DONOVAN
Jason's biography
updated 2009
Jason Sean Donovan bounced into the world on the 1st June 1968 in Malvern, Australia, son of Terrance Donovan (actor) and Sue McIntosh (Newsreader).
Jason’s parents split up when he was very young and his father was to be the main influence in his life taking on the role of mother and father. Music played a big part in his life from very early on. He joined the Australian choir at the tender age of five years and also took piano lessons.
Jason’s first TV appearance was at the age of eleven in a series called ‘Skyways’. Other TV appearances were to follow including ‘I can Jump Puddles’ and ‘Golden Pennies’.
Jason’s father was keen for him to get a good education so Jason went on to be educated at the local Spring Road School in Malvern and then to a Catholic High School called De La Salle.
Jason worked hard to get the grades he wanted so he could leave and get out into the big wide world. As his father was left to bring him up on his own he spent many hours on film sets watching his father, so he became used to the show-business lifestyle that was soon to play a major part in his life.
In 1985 Jason returned home and was told that Grundy Television wanted him to audition for the part of ‘Scott’ in a soap called ‘Neighbours’ .He had already turned down the part of ‘Danny’ previously because he wanted to finish his education. Unbeknown to Jason this was to be the start of a very successful career.
Neighbours became one of the most popular soaps on TV and Jason became the boy next door that every one wanted to meet. Then in came a character called ‘Charlene’ played by Kylie Minogue who was soon to be his on screen lover. This turned into one of the most popular screen romances ever. With their rocky relationship being watched by millions of people all over the world. There was a lot of speculation about their relationship off screen as well, which was continually denied by them both. Their screen wedding pulled in record-breaking ratings and the speculation kept growing.
Neighbours brought Jason into thousands of households every day and this led to him receiving many awards. In 1987 he was awarded a ‘Logie’ for best new talent and in 1988 a ‘Silver Logie’ for most popular actor.
Jason started to embark on a music career and soon signed up with record Company ‘Mushroom Records’. He went to London to record his first single and started working with Stock, Aitken and Waterman. His first single released in 1988 reached number 5 in the UK and reached number 1 in Japan and Hong Kong. It also charted in many other countries worldwide.
Late In 1988 he took a three month rest from filming ‘Neighbours’ and took a part as ‘Happy Huston’ in a mini series called ‘Heroes’.
Jason and Kylie’s screen romance sparked off what was to be the best selling single in the UK for 2 years. The pair released a duet called ‘Especially For You’. It reached number 1 and remained in the charts for 14 weeks. This only added more speculation of their off screen love affair, which they still denied. It was not till much later on when they had gone their separate ways that Jason admitted that they had been seeing each other.
In February 1989 his next single ‘Too many Broken Hearts’ was to be Jason’s first solo number one. His continuing success made him one of the most popular artists in British history. Any personal appearances he made created a Beatle like mania with fans blocking streets and fainting at his feet.
In April 1989 he hung up his ‘Neighbours’ coat and left it behind so he could concentrate on his music. His debut album ‘Ten Good Reasons’ was released in May which entered the UK charts at number 2 and continued on to go Platinum and take the number 1 slot and stayed there for 3 weeks. Then he released a cover of ‘Sealed with a Kiss’ which was to lead to Jason re-writing the record books. It went straight to number 1 and then it brought his album back up to number 1 slot making Jason the first Australian male to hold both the number 1 slots at the same time.
During the summer of 1989 he returned to Australia to play ‘Private Talbot’ in another mini series called ‘Blood Oath’.
In August he released his next single called ‘Everyday’ which reached number 2 in the UK. In November his next top 5 hit ‘When You Come Back To Me’ was kept off the top spot by ‘Band Aid II’ in which Jason also took part. Jason went on to receive more awards including Best British Album, Best Male Singer and Most Fanciable Male by Smash Hits.
In February he returned to Australia to film yet another mini series called ‘Shadows Of The Heart’.
In March he released his next single called ‘Hang On To Your Love’. The video featured Jason with Dark hair because he had to dye it for the ‘Shadows Of The Heart’ series. In April his second album was released called ‘Between The Lines’, which reached number 2 in the UK. His next single was to be ‘Another Night’ and then in June 1990 Jason launched his first World Tour starting in Australia and covering South East Asia, China and finishing it in the UK creating mania where ever he went. Other singles released from ‘Between the Lines’ were ‘Rhythm of the Rain’, ‘Doin Fine’ and ‘R.S.V.P’.
In June 1991 he made his West End Debut taking the title role of Joseph in ‘The Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat’ at ‘The London Palladium’. It opened to rave reviews and became a Box office sell out. The single ‘Any Dream Will Do’ was released which gave Jason his fourth number 1.
Later in 1991 he released ‘Happy Together’ which was to be his last single with PWL as he left to sign up with Polydor Records. His Greatest hits Album was soon to follow.
During his 18 month run with Joseph a London Magazine reported of a ‘Outing’ campaign which involved exposing people they thought to be Gay. Jason became the victim of this ‘Outing’ and a photo was taken of Jason which they manipulated to show him in a t-shirt with the ‘outing’ slogan. Jason was offended by this and successfully sued the Magazine and received £200,000 in damages most of which he returned in order to save the magazine from folding. The media then reported that he was then anti-gay. Jason explained that the case was never an issue of sexuality but about people having the right to a private life and that he was not a liar about his. Unfortunately this had an adverse affect on his career, which became apparent in the months to follow.
In 1992 Jason took a well-earned break from Joseph and got involved in the ‘The Rhythm Of Life’ Fashion Show at the ‘Grosvenor House Hotel’ in London where he was to show off his Catwalk skills! Kylie, Claudia Schiffer and Naomi Campbell also joined him. In June he also played a part in a short film made by students at the ‘Royal College of Art’ called ‘Galleria’.
In July Jason was to release his first single from the new album called ‘The Mission Of Love’, which was to co-inside with the ‘Mission Of love Tour’ he was about to embark on. The tour was moderately successful and the singles released from the album had low chart entries. The repercussions from the court case were beginning to have a direct affect on his career. Due to poor sales he was then paid off and dropped by his record company.
Jason then took on his first lead film role ‘Mike Tyrell’ in an Outback Australian drama Called ‘Rough Diamonds’ Which was due to be released later in the year.
In October 1993 Jason returned to the West End to do his final appearances as Joseph, he was asked if he would stay on but he declined so the show closed in January 1994.
The next couple of years proved to be the most difficult time of his career. He was bored with his clean-cut image and just wanted to have fun, which turned in to all night parties and allegations of drug use, by the media.
Despite his wayward actions in 1995 he co-starred in an Australian/Japanese production called ‘The Last Bullet’. This was the first role in which Jason was to act alongside his Father who played Jason’ s character later on in the film. He then went on to star alongside Angie Dickson in an Irish drama called ‘The Sun, The Moon, and The Stars’ filmed on location in Dublin.
In the early part 1996 Jason joined the Covent Garden Festival and played the part of ‘Morag’ in the musical ‘Camelot’ where he appeared alongside ‘Samantha Janus’ and ‘Paul Nicolas’.
Later the same year Jason went back to Australia to play a very different role as the lead in the cult hit musical ‘The Rocky Horror Show’. It played at the ‘Burswood Theatre’ in Perth for a few weeks.
Still living the high life he then came back to the UK to take a contrasting role in a play by ‘Emlyn Williams’ called ‘Night Must Fall’ at the ‘Thorndike Theatre’ in ‘Leatherhead’. This involved Jason playing a serial killer alongside ‘Rosemary Leach’. It then went on to the ‘Haymarket Theatre’ where it had to close early
In July 1997 he went out to South Africa to take the Part of ‘Matt’ in the musical ‘The Fantastics’ which had a multi racial cast.
In 1998 Jason joined the UK tour of ‘The Rocky Horror Show’ to play the part of ‘Frank n Furter’ as the show was due to celebrate its 25th anniversary. Unbeknown to Jason this was to lead to one of the most life changing experiences of his life so far. It toured all over the UK and received excellent reviews. It then came to the ‘Victoria Palace Theatre’, London where Jason became one of the many celebrity victims of Jon Jolly’s ‘Trigger Happy’. Jason was set up to do an interview with Jon and he turned up soaked to the skin. When Jason asked what had happened, Jon said that a guy had just thrown him into the river. Jon then began the interview and then this man came from around the corner and Jon ran over and started a fight with him and left Jason watching the drama unfold. Then they just all ran off and left Jason standing there.
Over the next few months Jason started seeing one of the stage management staff, a lady called 'Angela Malloch'. There relationship continued to blossom throughout the Victoria Palace run but it did seem to break up soon after the show had finished. A few months later it was revealed Angela was expecting their baby. Even though they were not together Jason went along with her wishes to keep the baby. Jason soon became used to the idea and was looking forward to the prospect of being a father. Throughout the pregnancy he was making a film called ‘Sorted’ which was about the London drug scene that also co-starred ‘Tim Curry’. Jason was to play the part of a Transvestite DJ who is involved with the London drug Market.
On the 28th March 2000 Angela gave birth to ‘Jemma’. Even though they were not together anymore Jason was determined to be a big part of Jemma’s life. As time went on Jason saw more and more of Angela and he fell in love with her all over again. She had given him one of the most precious things in his life and he loved her for it. He had fallen in love with the women that brought him back to reality and given him the motivation he needed to hit the road again.
In October 2000 the film ‘Sorted’ premiered in the West End and he turned up arm in arm with Angela and they looked very happy together. It was then that they announced that Angela was expecting their second child. He had truly become a family man that just wanted to provide for them.
After a winter break he returned to the UK and on the 23rd March 2001 Angela gave birth to ‘Zac’ Jason was now the father of two and was loving it. Jason started to get out and about again. He started to tour clubs and pubs doing small sets of some of his most famous hits. Jason was Back and seemed to be enjoying himself. He has visited many venues in the UK and is now branching out to Spain and seems to be gathering up new fans on the way.
Jason next accepted an offer to appear on ITV's 2006 show I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here. Despite previously shying away from reality television, Jason bungeed in to the Aussie jungle where he spent three weeks making his way back into the hearts and minds of the British public. Although the jungle crown was won by Matt Willis, Jason finished a respectable 3rd place and returned to the UK to a very warm reception.
Thanks to the exposure the jungle had given him, and to the delight of thousands of fans, Jason released a greatest hits album and went on tour in May 2007. Audiences were treated to a mix of old tunes, new material and stories from the last 20 years. Jason's performance at the Hammersmith Apollo was filmed and all the action is now available on the All The Hits And More DVD (available from Play.com).
In June 2007, his first single in 14 years, Share My World was released for download and in July Jason had the pleasure of performing in front an audience of 70,000 at the Princess Diana memorial concert.
The autobiography Between The Lines: My Story Uncut was published in October 2007 and to support its release, Jason went on a UK wide book signing extravaganza. This, coupled with personal and television appearances (GMTV, X Factor and many more) have ensured his profile in the UK is the highest it’s been since 1993.
2008 was a busy year for Jason. In January the ITV series Echo Beach was screened and ran for twelve weeks. In this soap Jason played the role of Daniel Marrack, opposite ex-Eastenders actress Martine McCutcheon. As well being back on prime time television, Jason also hosted his own radio show every Sunday which was broadcast across 36 regional radio stations (this shows stills runs as of the start of 2009).
After a 15 year wait, Jason fans eagerly received his latest album Let It Be Me last November. Released by label Decca, the album was “Inspired by the 50’s and 60’s and plays homage to an era of romance”. A single from the same album (Dreamboats and Petticoats) was released, and a tour to showcase these tunes (as well as a mix of his tunes from the 80’s and 90’s) followed soon after.
2009 and beyond
Jasons latest project has taken him back to London's West End, as he has been cast in the role of Tick in the UK musical version of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. Preview shows opened to very favourable reviews at the Palace Theatre on March 10th. For details of how to purchase tickets please refer to www.priscillathemusical.com
Whilst life may not be as hectic as the late 1980s, Jason successfully now combines family life with a robust career in entertainment. Although he has achieved more in his career than most people could ever hope to, Jason has said “Hopefully the best is still to come”&ldots;... We’ll all have to watch this space.
Parts by Kirsty Langford