“A Shattering Final Goodbye!”: Devastated star Jason Donovan leaves millions of fans completely paralyzed with grief and breaking down in floods of tears after bravely exposing a heartbreaking final tribute following the tragic and agonizing passing of his legendary father Terence Donovan at 90
Celebrated Australian actor, and Neighbours and Home and Away star, Terence Donovan has died in Melbourne aged 90.
His son, fellow actor Jason Donovan, announced the news on Sunday via social media, paying tribute to his beloved father as “larger than life” and “our world”.
“It is with great sadness but also a sense of celebration of a long full life that myself and my brother Paul announce our father Terence died peacefully last night here in Melbourne,” he wrote.
“Our dad was a huge character, larger than life.
“We will desperately miss him but we take comfort knowing we were all here by his side in his final days.”
Jason Donovan said his father lived “life to the max”.
“He was our best friend … our world,” he said.
“How lucky are we to have a Dad like you.”
Born in England in 1935, Terence Donovan moved to Australia as a teenager.
In a social media post, Jason Donovan revealed his father had had followed his brother George to Australia in search of a new life and always dreamed of being an entertainer.
He said one of his first TV appearances in Australia was on Channel 7’s Live Variety Show in September 1960 at the age of 25 singing ‘I’ve got you under my skin’.
He was a stage actor before launching what would be a decades-long career on Australian television with guest roles in Consider Your Verdict in 1961.
His prolific portfolio featured television, movies and mini-series appearances, including playing Henry Craig in the 1982 movie The Man From Snowy River.
He was best known for roles in Division 4, Cop Shop, Breaker Morant and Power Without Glory.
He had an uncredited role as a policeman in the 1968 movie Oliver! before landing roles in iconic 1980s Australian TV series such as Sons and Daughters, Prisoner, A Country Practice, The Flying Doctors and Blue Heelers.
In 1986, he took on the role of Doug Willis in Neighbours and Al Simpson on Home and Away.
Fellow Neighbours alumni Kylie Minogue has paid tributes on social media.
“Vale Terence,” she wrote.
“Thankful for your kindness and guidance in my early, crazy tv days with Jason. Xx”
Her sister Dannii Minogue joined her in remembering the talented performer.
“What an incredible life and body of work. I’m so glad his family were with him.”
Donovan was a passionate advocate for Australian content on television.
In 1961, just 1 per cent of drama on Australian television was Australian.
Donovan was one of a number of actors from the series Homicide and Division 4 to march through the centre of Melbourne in 1970 demanding the federal government introduce local content quotas.
He later addressed a crowd on behalf of the Make It Australian committee.
“The facts cannot be ignored that almost all our newspapers, radios and television are controlled by about four men, who I believe have selfishly exploited their privileged position and avoided their responsibility to the Australian community, especially to children, and to the Australians employed in the entertainment community,” he said to loud applause.
In 2001, Jason Donovan was the subject of an Australian Story episode.
He explained that he was mostly brought up by his father after his parents divorced when he was 5.
“I felt I was in a better position to gain custody and so I got full custody of [Jason],” Terence Donovan told the program.
Jason Donovan posted a tribute to his father on social media on his 90th birthday last year, describing him as his hero.
He remembered boogie boarding with him at Bondi beach when he was a child and family road trips between Melbourne and Sydney in the 1970s playing the Beatles Abbey Road album in their car.
“Dad you are complicated yet so simple, unique and limited edition,” Jason wrote.
“You’ve always placed me higher than you, always wanted me to do better than you.
“You’ve been a best friend, a wing man, biggest critic, a pain in the arse, a nightmare!
“Outrageously outspoken .. and most of the time just outrageous.
“I can’t begin to tell you how many times people say ‘god you look like your father’. I’ll take it !!”
Jason thanked the staff at Cabrini Hospital Melbourne for looking after his father in his final days.