In short
Jason Donovan discusses how fame affected his mental health and public identity, focusing on a UK tabloid libel case after a doctored photo/outing campaign; he also reflects on fatherhood, sobriety, drugs, and career “sliding doors” moments from Neighbours to pop music and musical theatre.
Guests
Jason Donovan (Australian actor/singer; known for Neighbours as Scott Robinson and later pop stardom; later stage/musical theatre work including Rocky Horror Show). Davina McCall (UK TV presenter/interviewer; hosts the podcast).
Guest backgrounds
Donovan grew up in Melbourne with actor father and TV/news background in the family; he auditioned for Neighbours at 16, met Kylie during filming, later became a pop figure via PWL, and moved into live theatre. He describes starting recreational drugs in the early 1990s and later changing after fatherhood (children born around 2000).
Key claims
The Face published a picture and implied he lied about his sexuality without contacting him; he won libel and didn’t take the money. He says the campaign “snookered” his next career phase and worsened mental health. He credits fatherhood (and later sobriety) with changing his life.
Notable examples
doctored “Jason Donovan, queer as fuck, out” photo/poster campaign in London; court win and subsequent Boy George cover; his sobriety and “theatre high”/adrenaline; meeting Angela via Rocky Horror Show and becoming a full-time dad.
Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.
Chapters
Tap a time to open that second in VONavigating Fame at a Young Age
0:45 to 3:00
Jason Donovan reflects on his rise to fame at 16 and the challenges that came with it.
“And the words on the front were Jason Donovan, queers.”
The Impact of Speculation
3:00 to 5:00
Discussion on the scrutiny Jason faced regarding his sexuality and its effect on his career.
“I don't know whether it was the right decision, but it wasn't the wrong decision either.”
Fame's Dark Side: A Personal Story
5:00 to 7:30
Jason shares a painful experience involving a doctored photo and how it affected him.
“specifically near news outlets so that those journalists would walk past it and go, wow, what the hell is that?”
Legal Battles and Public Perception
7:30 to 10:00
Jason discusses his legal battles over defamation and the importance of standing up for oneself.
“I didn't quite know how deep I was going, you know.”
Reconnecting with the Gay Community
10:00 to 13:00
Exploration of how Jason regained acceptance within the gay community after controversy.
“Because, you know, I had, as we were talking about before, I had friends in entertainment and the modelling world and club world and, you know, I'd sort of missed out on that period because I'd worked my arse off.”
Reflections on Career and Personal Growth
13:00 to 14:02
Jason reflects on his journey, the challenges he faced, and his growth as a person.
“It was just, you know, it was edgy and I wanted to make the next move and I think there were two sides to the camp, the face camp and my camp.”
Understanding Family Dynamics
14:02 to 16:46
Delve into Jason's reflections on his parents' separation and its impact on his life.
“That was a hard – I hadn't thought about that.”
Impact of Father's Absence
16:46 to 19:31
Exploring the relationship between Jason and his father amidst separation anxiety.
“I have a relationship with my mother, but my dad, I have an extraordinary, you know, friendship.”
Life Without Alcohol
19:31 to 20:43
Jason and Davina share insights about the benefits of not drinking alcohol.
“I tell you what, after last weekend I was thinking exactly the same thing.”
Navigating Relationships with Stepparents
22:33 to 28:00
Jason discusses his relationship with his stepmother and the changes it brought.
“I'm going to go back to years ago because otherwise I'm going to totally lose the plot and I want to get a flow with you here.”
Show all 27 chapters
Jason's Early Life and Career
28:00 to 28:54
Explore Jason Donovan's early experiences with television and acting.
“70s for seven years you know wow and also my mum uh was on television she did the thing called Adventure Island, which was like a kid's TV show on the ABC.”
The Neighbours Audition Story
28:55 to 30:05
Learn about Jason's audition for Neighbours and how it changed his life.
“The Neighbours story is a great story because when I was 16, I auditioned for a TV show called Neighbours that was going to be commissioned at a network called Channel 7 in Australia.”
Sliding Door Moments in Fame
30:06 to 31:09
Discuss Jason's reflections on pivotal moments in his career and life.
“and said, we think this bad boy's got some life, you know.”
The Challenges of Aging
31:10 to 32:37
Jason shares his thoughts on aging, responsibilities, and personal growth.
“I guess you'd probably call it atheist, but I'm open to it.”
Honesty and Vulnerability
32:38 to 33:58
A candid discussion about honesty, emotional struggles, and mental health.
“The thing, though, that makes me feel happy, Davina, each day is when I go for a swim and a steam, you know, and then when I go and sit down and have my coffee and just for five minutes, I don't worry about a lot.”
Fame and Relationships
36:27 to 39:27
Jason discusses the impact of fame on personal relationships, especially with Angela.
“Listen, it's the most funnest, most awesome club in the whole world and I want you to be part of it.”
Parental Influence and Addiction
39:28 to 42:01
Jason reflects on his father's influence and his own experiences with addiction.
“Because, like, because I go up and down, you know, like even coming off a tour last week and, you know, I'm not, you know, there's different variants of currency to fame and creativity and artists.”
Reflections on Choices and Substance Use
42:01 to 44:15
Jason discusses his past with substance use and how it relates to his upbringing.
“The end says the good news is I now know what I don't want to do with my life.”
Navigating Fame and Mental Health
44:16 to 46:30
Exploration of how fame affected Jason's mental health and coping mechanisms.
“That kind of addiction where it's making you think ahead to when can I get my next one, you're not even enjoying the bit that you're on now.”
The Shift to Fatherhood
46:31 to 48:26
Jason shares his journey into fatherhood and the responsibilities that came with it.
“You know, even there you go, shouting at people, how's Kylie today?”
Lessons Learned Through Parenting
48:27 to 51:18
Discussion on the challenges and lessons learned from being a parent.
“And you wanted to deliver that for your kids and the way you were, that wasn't going to happen?”
A Father's Pride
51:19 to 54:10
Jason reads a heartfelt letter from his father that emphasizes love and family.
“One of the things I love is the things kids teach you, like about yourself.”
Future Aspirations and Musical Journey
54:11 to 56:01
Conversation about Jason's upcoming projects and his musical aspirations.
“Now, why are you so surprised about that?”
The Journey from Scott to Pop Star
56:01 to 57:26
Explore Jason Donovan's transition from a TV character to a pop star and his quest for musical identity.
“So you left a machine of like you had to be Scott.”
Musical Theatre and Rock Stardom
57:27 to 59:06
Jason discusses his unexpected success in musical theatre and the allure of being a rock star.
“And Michael White, have you ever heard of Michael White?”
Nightclub Memories and Musical Collaborations
59:07 to 1:00:39
Recounting memorable nightclub experiences and musical collaborations from his past.
“But there's a lot of things for people to get their head around.”
A Lighthearted Banter and Farewell
1:00:40 to 1:01:54
A playful exchange between Jason and Davina, sharing laughs and closing remarks.
“One night Michael Hutchence came and sang with us.”
Transcript
Automatic transcript. May contain errors.0:00Davina McCall:I want to talk about you and Kylie, 17 years old, Neighbours. It was a difficult one for me though. People saying, how's Kylie today? I loved it when you married to... I wasn't married to Kylie. Can we talk about that? Sure. I always say, the good news is you're Jason Donovan. The bad news sometimes is you're Jason Donovan. When I was 16, I auditioned for a TV show called Neighbours. And let's be honest, actors are pretty selfishly actor-y people. I get to 91, 92, which is sort of where the whole drug thing for me started to happen. But you throw fame in there as well. And how do you process Jason Donovan at the age of 21, 22?
0:39There's no manual.
0:40Davina McCall:In what way? Speculation had always surfaced about the blonde-haired, blue-eyed kid. What got my nerve was a doctored photo. And the words on the front were Jason Donovan, queers. The issue really came down to the article itself suggesting that I was lying about my sexuality. It snookered really my next sort of career. I struggled a bit with that. I'm a believer in nothing bonds better than the tug of war you have with life. Is there anything that you want to do that you haven't done yet? Well, listen, I... Jason Donovan. You know what I love? Do you love? That we've known each other since before I was famous.
1:25I was like door bitch. You were?
1:29Davina McCall:On the nightclubs. Y-M-C-A. Y-M-C-A, Raw, in the basement. Billion Dollar Babes. Billion Dollar Babes. On a Saturday night. Oh, my God, it was such a good job. What was the name of the promoter? Graham. Graham. I mean, they were great days. They were great days. I can't remember a lot about them. I can't either. But I have to say Billion Dollar Bays was one of those sort of eccentric, beautiful clubs Saturday night and I still have visions of those little rooms upstairs. Yes, the rock room. What was what year? Was that 93? That would have been, yeah, 91, 92 even, like quite early, 1991, 92. Yeah, I used to park underneath.
2:17Davina McCall:Yes. We used to, you were so famous. We had to like usher you in and out of side doors, I remember. We were like, quick, get Jason out this way so he doesn't get hassled. Yeah. We wanted to take good care of you. You were such a proper billion-dollar baby. It was a difficult one for me, though, Davina, at the time because that was also coming off the back of when I'd seen the face. And I think there was a lot of hostility. Can we talk about that? Sure. I mean, we'll just start here. I don't like to, you know, yeah, I'm happy to talk about the facts. I'm happy to talk about the facts. Yeah, I think it's important to talk about it because it was a big thing at the time for you.
3:00I don't know whether it was the right decision, but it wasn't the wrong decision either.
3:05Davina McCall:I was just wondering, would it be all right if you just subscribed? Thanks. They did something terrible, I think. They superimposed. Well, they didn't. No, they didn't. Oh, they didn't. So they reported. What happened was, you know, to contextualise the whole thing was that outing was a campaign that really began in America, New York specifically, by militant activists sort of wanting to out prominent politicians specifically who were legislating against gay rights at the time. Fair enough. Fair enough. and, you know, set the board sort of equal. I think it sort of shifted focus to include celebrities like Tom Cruise, Whitney Houston.
3:56It went across the pond. And, of course, Jason Donovan, Joseph, London Palladium, quite an easy target, coat. Speculation had always surfaced about the blonde-haired, blue-eyed kid, You know, which is probably sort of my fault sort of in a way by trying to keep my private life private, but it was my sort of decision. What became sort of the thing about that which sort of really got my nerve was a doctored photo I'd taken in the 80s in Australia in a white T-shirt in good faith for some, I think it was actually for a photographer's exhibition actually, was then put into a newsagent and used by these campaigners and it was doctored.
4:51And the words on the front were Jason Oniman, queer as fuck, and out put on it. And that poster was strategically put throughout London, specifically near news outlets so that those journalists would walk past it and go, wow, what the hell is that? And again, this was to try and raise the profile. Fast forward to the face, the face sort of fell victim to that and then decided to report on it. Now, a lot of tabloid newspapers, you know, avoided it like the plague because they knew it was litigious. The face had the option to contact me. They decided not to contact me. And the issue really came down to the article itself suggesting that I was lying about my sexuality and I wasn't.
5:45And they printed the picture without me giving me the option to at least have my say. The judge rightly said they said, well, we couldn't get in contact. He went, give me a fucking break. you know he's in and out of the stage door you know you send a letter um but it was a tough one for me because you know i felt you know i felt empowered in the sense that you know whether you're gay straight black white whatever you are no one has the right to publicize their the ideas using you as bait when they don't really have your permission or support.
6:34Davina McCall:And with a doctored photograph, which seems incredibly unfair. You know, do I feel about, you know, I think it was Nick Logan who was the publisher. Cheryl Garrett was the journalist. You know, do I feel good about what probably I put them through? Not really. But I guess at the end of the day you have to really stand up for your right and what you believe is right. They felt they didn't do anything right and there was sort of the problem. I see it could have been fixed beforehand. Yes. But it wasn't. And I had a manager at the time, Richard, who, you know,
7:23you know, felt that this was something that needed to sort of be pushed and I sort of went for it, you know. But it was setting. I didn't quite know how deep I was going, you know. But what I didn't do, sorry, just to interrupt, is once I won the libel and an award, I didn't take the award.
7:45Davina McCall:Yeah, and when you say award, you mean money. You won quite a substantial amount of money. Yeah, I won. But you didn't take it. I didn't take it. But they had to pay costs. And that's where going back to you and I, Raw, Billion Dollar Babes, Graham, YMCA, Nightclubs, Raising the Price of the Face, Boy George on the front cover of the edition after my court win, Love Sees No Colour. a little pun towards Joseph, you know, which I was in at the time. That sort of, you know, was, well, someone said to me, it was maybe the beginning of sort of cancelling. Do you know what I mean? It was pretty harsh.
8:31And also at the time I was mixing in those sort of circles. Yes.
8:36Davina McCall:I mean, the thing is, is that you were not homophobic in any way, but you were made out to be so or perceived out. Well, a bit. Yeah, I was. I guess the tabloid version of that. As somebody in your business or our business of being well-known, I sued a couple of times, but it was a line that I needed to draw to say, look, you can say kind of whatever you like about me that's not true and I get that all the time. But when it's something bad that I'm really upset about, I will say something. Or I will take action. And then I think it sets a precedent that people go, actually, we better not say that.
9:24Davina McCall:We can go, we can say something that he won't really mind that's not quite true. but I think the difficult thing for you was that often it would be a tabloid paper and everybody's used to them being, but this was the face. On the edge, yeah, it was. And it snookered really my next sort of career. Whether I was ready to sort of grow up and move into the face, you really need the product probably to be able to go from smash hits to the faces, you know, I struggled a bit with that. But it didn't help my mental health. Well, I bet it didn't, yeah, because. Because, you know, I had, as we were talking about before, I had friends in entertainment and the modelling world and club world and, you know, I'd sort of missed out on that period because I'd worked my arse off.
10:20Davina McCall:Yes, you'd worked non-stop right. So get to 91, 92, which is sort of where the whole drug thing for me started to happen too was I just, as I keep saying, I just want to have a fucking great time. You know what I mean? And I started to, and I took this action and it sort of bit me a little bit. But my intention was for those people to stand up, for those people, you know, who didn't want to be misrepresented and didn't have the public profile and the money and to go, no, no, that's not right. That's not fucking right. And I was right. You were right, yeah. I went through pain and suffering because now that wouldn't happen.
11:06No. It just would not happen.
11:09Davina McCall:No. But in those days it was still like a cat trying to get its, you know, it was still trying to. It was the Wild West. It was the Wild West. And gay rights and legislation and, you know, the pink paper. And I hope now the world in some parts is very different. It's better for the gay community for sure. Definitely. But in some parts of the world it's not. It's not. But in the UK we've made great advances. And maybe, hopefully, maybe, maybe, maybe I might have made a tiny little bit of a contribution in a sort of weird way to that. Maybe. Can I ask you, how did you in the end make peace with the gay community?
12:02Davina McCall:Because there was, you know, Boy George on the cover directly after. But then after that, you really did manage to re-ingratiate yourself with the gay community. but how did you do that? Well, I think, honestly, they saw through it. Yeah. Honestly, they saw through it. They knew exactly what I was doing. And, you know, I would argue that within the gay community there are sectors as well, do you know what I mean, that probably agree and don't agree with certain things. I mean, the name Jeremy Joseph comes to mind, you know, because he, I think, really helped push me into some clubs in the 90s.
12:43But, Davina, at that point I just sort of put my hands up and went, you know, if this was what's happening and, you know, then so be it. I'll let it run its course. I don't think I was, I said cancelled before. I don't think I was completely cancelled. It was just, you know, it was edgy and I wanted to make the next move and I think there were two sides to the camp, the face camp and my camp. But I genuinely believe people with any sense of moral compass and responsibility, whilst they would appreciate the face's point of view, realised why I did what I did.
13:30Davina McCall:Well, you didn't do it for the money. I didn't do it for the money. And I think people would have great respect for you for that. Yeah, I didn't do it for the money. Yeah. A cabbie, after I got into the cab, and it was on the front page of the evening stand and said, Jase, can you lend me a tenner? You know, it became sort of a bit of a – and, of course, all the – and, you know, all the theatre world, you know, musical – I was at the top of the tree. Yes. You know, a bit like, God, what's he doing here? You know, this is our community. God, I hadn't thought about that. That was a hard – I hadn't thought about that.
14:05I bet it was. But genuinely I feel they saw through it. Yeah. I think they saw through. And do I think ultimately the face, you know, were they, they reported on the facts but they sort of didn't really report on the facts. They didn't give my voice to it. So, you know, they just fell into the trap, I think. And they were the, yeah, that's where I went.
14:38Davina McCall:I want to go back to your, I want to start at the beginning, because we kind of started in the middle. And I really, really, I talked to you a bit about this before we started, about identifying with you on such a deep level. And I had no idea. And when you think about our life trajectory and how similar in a way it was, I didn't start in show business as young as you, but the feelings, it started with your parents splitting up. Do you remember anything about your parents being together? Not really, no. I mean, I do remember. Do you remember the breakup? No. No. I was four or five. You know, I can't really.
15:21Davina McCall:What's your first memory back then? Well, it sparked a few pictures, you know. Yes. It's interesting how pictures will do that. Yeah, pictures will spark. You know, we lived in Melbourne, Malvern, you know, dad, actor. You know, I remember being, I do remember once going to kindergarten and crying so much that they just took me out and I don't think I ever went back. Oh. I also remember a lot of separation anxiety from my dad. Dad would go away for months. Yes, acting, yeah. It's like so different. Yeah. And I was left with my dad's mum. He'd always have good people in place. How old were you when your mum left?
16:22Probably about five, 1972. 1972.
16:26Davina McCall:Mad, right? Fucking hell. Are you 67? I'm 68. So, yeah, listen, Davina, there are two sides to every story, you know. I don't really wish to get into who was right and who was wrong about it because that sort of, you know, both are alive and well, which is wonderful. I have a relationship with my mother, but my dad, I have an extraordinary, you know, friendship. And he's 91. Is he? Yeah. Good genes. Yeah, he's good genes. He's got good genes. He's, you know, he's a very honest character, my dad. He's been very present in me. He's, you know, he's always been a very fit and active. Unfortunately, that's tough for him at the moment.
17:26You know, he's been compromised a lot with that. But he has a partner. But, yeah, I just spend a lot of time with my dad, you know. I just, I don't really, I can't honestly tell you, I don't feel not loved, you know, because a lot of people will go, Well, we know why that and this went there. And I sort of go, yeah, okay, maybe if you're looking deep down, I don't know, I've never really sat on a couch and had an epiphany moment where I've gone, oh, my God, that's it. But, you know, maybe. I'll tell you what it has made me work on is my own family and the success of my own relationships. Yeah, singular.
18:13Davina McCall:I mean, I've got to say that is that not the greatest thing ever? Yeah. I sometimes call it for me in my experience. My life was a bit different. My mum was quite complicated. She left, but my dad was the same for me. Why did she leave? My dad and my grandmother were granted custody of me, which was so rare, only child. Right. God, so similar. No full siblings. I had half siblings, but no full siblings, a bit like you. Right, yeah. And so I feel like an island. Yeah, yes. I feel like nobody understands me but me. Yes, yes. I consider myself to be Fomentara. Yeah, which is not the island in the Mediterranean.
19:05Davina McCall:Yeah, so it's like Ibiza. Wow. So you've got Ibiza, but I'm Formentera. Wow. Yeah. Right. Not Mallorca? No. Not a big Balearix experience? No. Small. Yeah, paella maybe? Yes. Yeah. Bit of that. Prawn with garlic? Yes. Mega. Lots of that. Let's do it. Rosé? Rosados? I don't drink anymore. You don't? 30. Wow. Wow. Yeah. Wow. Yeah. At all? At all. Fuck, that's insane. Yeah, it's really nice. And how does that feel? So good. I tell you what, after last weekend I was thinking exactly the same thing. You know what, I have no desire anymore either. Yeah, wow. It is incredible. I love not drinking. And I love this idea that somebody could call me and go, could you pick me up now and I could do that 24-7.
19:55Yeah, yeah. Well, you've got the energy, Davina, too, you know, And you've got the, you know, I did see something that some artists talk about not drinking. Listen, drink was never a problem for me. But I did hear an artist say the great thing about not drinking is you're sort of on it all the time at any time.
20:21Davina McCall:Oh, that's interesting. You know, you're not constantly going, oh, I'll have a few drinks this weekend, but I won't be able to be on telly on Monday or Tuesday. because I'll still be a little bit blurry. Do you know what an eSIM is? Be honest. It does the same job as a physical SIM, but it's built into your phone digitally. And Sailly, whose sponsors Begin Again, is an eSIM app that I love because it gives you a safe, secure internet data connection overseas without having to pay expensive roaming fees. It's available in over 200 destinations and it comes with built-in cybersecurity. But the best part is that it lets you change your online location to home while you're away.
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21:45These are actually the days when showing up really means the most.
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22:32Davina McCall:I mean, when... I'm going to go back to years ago because otherwise I'm going to totally lose the plot and I want to get a flow with you here. But when you and your dad, you were thick as thieves. Yeah. He meant the world to you. He was going away a lot. Yes. So separation anxiety. But in a funny kind of way, those separations make the time that you get with them all the more precious. Did you find it hard to share your dad? Yes, I did. I mean, do you? Yeah, because when my stepmother came along, you know, I remember we did a trip to Hawaii and I was just really, Yeah, no. Really distant. But, you know, Myles, Mylene.
23:24That's your stepmom. Yeah, she's sort of, and they're not together anymore, but she became a really big part of my life and sort of, well, not sort of, still is, you know.
23:39Davina McCall:And what was special about her? Why did she become such a big part of your life? Why is a good question. I think it came at the right time as I was growing 12, 13, you know, and becoming not a boy anymore. And, you know, Miles' world was exciting, the people and her friends. She was a model, right? Melbourne, she was a model. You know, I was a young boy and it was fun, you know, and it was a good circle and, you know, and, you know, it's through her connection and her world that probably a lot of my Aussie Melbourne history got really established, notwithstanding, you know, Neighbours and the whole hit that had.
24:30But, you know, I mean. She gave you roots. Yeah, and they were really cool roots, you know. I mean, some fun times, Sydney, Melbourne, that scene.
Read the full transcript
24:42Davina McCall:Yes. That was a scene and that was probably what I originally loved her for. But what was that? Well, they had a child, Paul, so that changed the whole thing as well. How did you feel about that? I can't really remember. I know how she felt because she threw a plate at me once because I wouldn't do so. I can still remember ducking and this plate going behind my head. And she'll openly talk about that now. She was just coming off, you know. Hormones, hormones. Yeah, hormones. And I wasn't doing something in the house. Also, she changed. She changed dad, you know. Suddenly the linen was a little bit more comfortable.
25:34Do you know what I mean? Suddenly the crockery changed. She softened him. She softened, well, I don't know about softening, but she certainly softened the house, you know. It had a vision. It had a future where it was just two guys, you know. She used to make a beautiful, she has Egyptian, Italian background, great cook, salmon, you know. I mean, Melbourne culinary, you know, restaurants, food is just. I'm sorry, the best. It's culturally amazing. Best in the world. Coffee is like, you know, you have to go to university to make a coffee in Melbourne. It's serious shit. So, you know, and so that sort of, you know, that inner Melbourne sort of, yeah, just the world opened.
26:31You know, it wasn't just me and my actor dad. And let's be honest, I'm an actor, but fucking hell, you know, hardcore.
26:44Davina McCall:In what way? Well, you know, actors, you know, are pretty selfishly actor-y people, you know. Dad was thinking about his career. What must he have been? He must have been in his 40s, 30s, 40s probably. I mean, you were, what, 11 when you got into Neighbours? I was, no, I was 11 when I did my first professional job. I was 17 when I landed there. Oh, okay. Yeah. So what was your first professional job? My first professional job was either a thing called I Could Jump Puddles or, more famously, was a TV series called Skyways in which Kylie played my sister. Yes, of course so, of course. Literally, I'm a little sort of chubby and she's got the two T's.
27:34Wow. And we played sort of brother and sister. Bizarre, isn't it?
27:38Davina McCall:Were you constantly cast at the same time from then on? You know, the ABC had a lot of sort of, you know, family type of shows going on. I had a good agent through Dad. um again you know because i was shadowing him on a lot of sets yeah and a lot of tv shows dad was in one tv show sort of late 70s early 80s for six years called cop shop he was in another one in the 70s for seven years you know wow and also my mum uh was on television she did the thing called Adventure Island, which was like a kid's TV show on the ABC. So it was a funny thing. I don't know, again, the psychology behind that. But she used to read the news on the ABC for a while.
28:33In fact, she read the news the day I won the libel case here in the UK in Australia. That's a great piece of footage. Wow. Really interesting. I want to talk about you and Kylie, 17 years old, Neighbours.
28:54Davina McCall:What was that like? The Neighbours story is a great story because when I was 16, I auditioned for a TV show called Neighbours that was going to be commissioned at a network called Channel 7 in Australia. And I got the job. to play a character called Danny Ramsey. Oh. So I then had a predicament because I needed to finish one more year of school. But everyone said, you're going to have to leave school. So I went and asked all my teachers. They said, leave. My dad said, you're fucking crazy. It'll come around again. He said, don't leave. You'll never go back and do your last year of school. Why would you leave?
29:44I took his advice. I love your time. I took his advice. It was tough. It wasn't so tough when I looked at the weightings coming out at Channel 7 and it just went down and down and was axed. It lasted about 10 months. And then Channel 10 came along to what was Grundy's, now Fremantle, at the time, and said, we think this bad boy's got some life, you know. So I got a phone call. Can you come in and audition? And it was a different character called Scott Robinson, who was originally in the Channel 7 version. I got the part. I met Kylie in the bus on probably the fourth or fifth month into shooting in 1986.
30:36Wow. And had I taken the part of Danny Ramsey, I would have been her brother. Wow. But because of that year, sliding door, I was, you know, from a different family.
30:52Davina McCall:Do you go back and look over all the sliding doors moments in your life? I mean, I don't really think about, like, sliding door moments. I guess when you look back, I'm not quite a, you know, I believe what comes around goes around. I believe the world is circled for a reason. I'm not a believer in God. I guess you'd probably call it atheist, but I'm open to it. But I'm a bit more science-oriented. But I understand why people need to believe in things. And again, not closing a door, but that's just the way. I'm a bit more of the Buddha sort of, you know. Have you looked into Buddhism? Not really.
31:42No.
31:43Davina McCall:I've got, I bought Buddhism for beginners. Oh, really? Buddhism for idiots. My book that landed on the Kutcher desk was, you know, overthinking. She's just given me a book on overthinking. I do tend to overthink things. In what way? As I get older, there's, you know, there's more webs and more spiders and more connections and more things to think about. thought it was going to get easier it sort of gets harder you're processing yeah more more stress more i'm suddenly becoming you know higher up in the the not the chain but you know it's more responsibilities more you know sometimes i just you know i wish i could simplify it but there's a part of me that doesn't want to simplify because i might you know i've still got a lot more to do and to go and, you know.
32:37It's the curse of ageing. It is probably the curse of ageing. The thing, though, that makes me feel happy, Davina, each day is when I go for a swim and a steam, you know, and then when I go and sit down and have my coffee and just for five minutes, I don't worry about a lot.
32:58Davina McCall:I'd like to take something back that I just said, the burden of getting older. I don't mean that because I don't see it as a burden. I see it as a gift. Yeah. How do you see it? Today it's been tough. You know, today it's been tough. I've always been very honest, you know. I can't help but be honest, you know. Today it's been tough. Why? Oh, it's just, you know, just the web, you know, just. Of life? Just life and, you know. with a, yeah. It's not a, it's definitely not an emotional thing, but it's just, you know. I'm taking some weight. Oh, wow. On the sad. You don't know this for Avion. Don't you?
33:47Davina McCall:Of our old friends. Oh, my God. It's nice to hug. That connection. Thank you. Yeah. Listen, it's not a disaster today, but it's just one of those days. It's just one of those days. Yeah, I get that. I mean, I definitely have this. I think what I meant for me is I care less. I'm less self-obsessed. Yeah, but you've been through a really big thing. Yes, I have, yeah. It's helped me a lot. Yeah. I haven't really been through that, to the edge of that. You know, I had a few issues a few years back with my voice that really started to worry me. Oh, shit, that would be awful. Yeah, but I sort of worked it all out, you know.
34:44I sort of worked it. In fact, I worked on the tension actually better and stronger, really, there than I've ever been in my entire life. Yeah, it's about being happy, you know. It's about trying to find sort of that camelot between your inner and your outer sort of world, you know.
35:07Davina McCall:Our sponsors, Paramount Plus, have sent me a peek at their new original series, The Madison. Press play, Jeremy, I'm so excited. Go! You know, at night... Look at the scenery. ...the bull elk come down to the river and bugle. and it drives the lady elk. Oh my God, already, stop. Kurt Russell, still got it.
35:33Davina McCall:Michelle Pfeiffer looks epic. She looks so good. The worry is what you do next. I know you are hurting me. Wait, stop. I'm going to cry a lot, aren't I? I think it's going to be one of those ones. I'm going to be howling. I have a very small window to feed this. Yes, that's how I feel Yes, Michelle You know one of those dramas where you just go, yes at the television, it's going to be that I can tell already If you like Begin Again, you're going to like this because there are life stories that we will all recognise and be able to relate to I'm scrapping all my plans for tonight I'm going to watch this non-stop because the Madison is streaming right now on Paramount+.
36:22Davina McCall:Get on it. OK, guys, I need you in my begin-again gang. Listen, it's the most funnest, most awesome club in the whole world and I want you to be part of it. So when you sign up to our newsletter, you get all the bits that I don't share anywhere else. Things that I'm loving, what I'm reading, my favourite outfits, some of the most gorgeous begin-again stories that you've sent in. I actually really love reading those. It's one of my favourite parts of the week. And the really fun bit is I will also share some begin-again secrets like what guests we've got coming up and you'll know before anyone else does.
37:06Shh, don't tell everyone.
37:07Davina McCall:So come and join The Best Gang Ever. The link's right below and it just takes five seconds and it's free. Can I ask you something as well? Because going out with or being married to someone famous is difficult. And we can't do anything. We can't unfamous ourselves like it's done. The deed is done. But Angela, she sounds amazing, by the way. But it's difficult you talking about Angela. Or I was thinking, I was just asking about Kylie. That's a bloody nightmare. It is. It's an ex-girlfriend from bloody ages ago. Yeah, yeah. And I've said that before in the past. I'm sure she's, you know, she's at times, you know, struggled with that and I hope she doesn't mind me saying that, but that, you know, it's a big, big thing that.
38:03And also I guess the problem is that both of you were famous.
38:06Davina McCall:Yeah. So it's of public interest. For being. A couple. A couple. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And being married, but not married. You know, people saying, you know, I loved it when you married to, I wasn't married to Kylie, mate. You know, those were very formative years and, you know, meant a hell of a lot to me. But, you know, there is 30 years with her and three children and, you know, it's, you know. Look, Ange is very down to earth. You know, I think the difference, you know, probably the fame thing, She's not interested in it at all. No. Not interested in it at all. I mean, that's a good thing. Yeah.
38:49Doesn't give a shit.
38:50Davina McCall:Yeah. She sounds incredibly down to earth. Yeah. Sort of just practical. She is. She saved your life at the beginning. Well, she did. I mean, you have to, as we know with addiction, you have to want a change. Of course, yeah. So I would argue that, yes, she was part of that, a big part of that. She came at the right time. She came at the right time, you know, it was at the right time. I think probably what she struggles more with me is my creative fucking, you know, because I'm, you know, I am a creative, you know. But why are you annoying? Because, like, because I go up and down, you know, like even coming off a tour last week and, you know, I'm not, you know, there's different variants of currency to fame and creativity and artists.
39:47Yes. I mean, some of the struggles I have in my life are what I've done, is it significant, is it not? Do you know what I mean? Do I care? I don't care. Do I not this day? I do care next day. And, you know, I come off a tour last week and suddenly you're at it and you're just dropped into sort of normal life. Now, I'm not being catered for on my tour. I'm not really being, I'm pretty, but it's still, you know, I walk out. It's a buzz. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's a big one. It's addictive, mate. It's a drug. It's a drug. It's a drug. I understand that. And also what I do is my life for some reason has gone into the live sphere.
40:31I do a lot of live theatre. I do a lot of live, which I love. I'd like to have done more telly, more film, but that was the course that's happened for me. You know, eight shows, again, it's adrenaline. It's a drug. Yeah. So you're coming off drugs, you know. To clarify, off theatre, off the theatre high, you know, off that audience high, you know. I'm sure when you've done This Morning or you're sitting here doing a podcast now, you know, you feel great. You've done it. It's been a great day. You feel really good. You got underneath that guy's, you know, and you've got some good stuff and what have we got?
41:14I thought that was a good, you know, it's the same buzz except mine's fucking, you know, singing a song. Now music is magic because music has a.
41:22Davina McCall:I always called it mood. Yeah, music. And to sing is therapy. That's another whole podcast and therapy thing that I've found singing to be when I'm seeing regularly, I'm happy, I'm up, I'm up. I want to talk to you about drugs. Yeah. We both did them. Yeah. And, God, I mean, we knew each other back then. Like, that's quite mad, really. But I'm quite interested in where did you get to and how did it happen? Because I started very young and I felt like you were a bit older. I'll start at the end. The end says the good news is I now know what I don't want to do with my life. Great. So that's where I always say let's start there.
42:10Davina McCall:What do you not want to do with your life? I don't need to be snorting cocaine and, you know, smoking weed and doing all the other bits and pieces that go along with that. To go back, you know, my, and I'll be honest, my dad loved to drink. I didn't like my dad drinking. Maybe that was part of the separation of my parents, you know. Dad, you know, he's a fiery character, you know, but you've got to look at his past. He was born very working class England. You know, he had three brothers, you know, middle sex. He had to fight. They lived above a pub, you know. It was the 40s, 50s. It was England.
42:50He moved to Australia for a better life, you know. But Dad, you know, Dad's just, when he drinks, he changes, you know, And, you know, I just looked at that and I couldn't control it because I was the kid and I needed him, you know. So I sort of, you know, as a young kid I started to smoke weed and actually everyone was really nice and chilled and it wasn't a bunch of actors talking at you about their careers, you know, which is all my dad's friends. I wasn't sitting at some Sunday lunch going, Dad, you know, And they're all having, ah, it's fine, you know. I've always said I'd rather, at times in my life, I'd rather walk into a room of people, of children, smoking a joint than a room full of a pub.
43:48Yes. Also, as you get famous.
43:50Davina McCall:Yes. There's another whole thing. Yes, Angleton. And listen, you know, just one thing sort of led to another and cocaine became sort of a part of that. What did you like about it at that time? Because I think there is a time in your life where suddenly it just seems like the greatest thing ever. But, like, I look back now and I just think not in a gazillion years. This idea of taking something and the minute that you've taken it, you're looking around to see if you can see anybody passing a packet to anybody to see who you've got to go and be friends with to go and get another one. That kind of addiction where it's making you think ahead to when can I get my next one, you're not even enjoying the bit that you're on now.
44:43That's where I got to. Yeah, I agree. It was horrible. And I've also become very, very insular and very selfish and chasing. It's like a dog chasing its own sort of tail. And, yeah, you know, it was pretty – yeah, I was a bit more of a binge taker rather than, yeah.
45:00Davina McCall:So you wouldn't do it all the time. Not all the time. But when you did it was – When I did it, it was on, you know. How old were you then? I was, you know, I will also say to counter that I'd done a lot of work. I'd worked my ass off. I'd played the game. I'd done everything. And since you were a kid. And I got to that 92, 93. I didn't drink until I was in my 30s, mid-30s. Wow, because you were a bit nervous around it because of your dad. I just didn't like it. Yeah. I didn't like what alcohol did. I didn't like it. I didn't drink. I took drugs instead. Yeah, but that's – Because my mum was a drinker.
45:38There you go.
45:39Davina McCall:Yeah. But I always had, again through my dad, physical fitness. You know, I always had that knocking on my door as a reminder of life could be a natural endorphin. So, you know, I think in a way that's what sort of balanced me up. But you throw fame in there as well, in that little pot. You know, you throw drugs, you throw, you know, living in the UK, you throw probably what happens with the face. Phone tapping. You know, and how do you process Jason Donovan at the age of 21, 22? to. There's no manual. In today's world, mental health is such a big part of it. I was. Nobody cared about anybody's mental health.
46:23Davina McCall:They didn't care about what I'd been through. You're just a guy who made a lot of money and was hugely famous. And, you know, you're on Neighbours, you're married to Kylie. You know, even there you go, shouting at people, how's Kylie today? You know, I mean, you know, so I don't blame myself in any way. I just, you know, I had to navigate my own ship for a long time and I think, you know, luckily, luckily I had the physical activity, sorry, the idea of, you know, physical health helps your mental health. Yeah. There's no doubt about that. I completely and utterly agree. Still does. Still does.
47:10And I just, look, to the end of the night it just got boring.
47:14Davina McCall:Yeah. Yeah, so boring. So you were ready. Seeing the same people and, you know, and, oh, dull. And then Ange got pregnant. Wait, wait. How did you meet? Rocky Horror Show. Oh, yes, so she was the stage manager. Yeah. And you two liked each other then. Yeah. And, like, but she got pregnant, like, early doors? Early, yeah. And she sort of said that we'd actually split up. And again, I hope she doesn't mind me saying it, but I got a letter from her. It's public knowledge to say that she was going to have the baby and I'm not going to be half a dad. That's what I decided. I didn't want to be half a parent.
48:07So I embraced it and then that sort of got us back together. and then so Gemma was born. And it was really at that moment that I started to wake up a lot. That was about 2000. Well, it was 2000.
48:20Davina McCall:So you knew the importance of being a father then? Yeah, yeah. And how much it had mattered to you? Yeah, maybe, maybe, maybe. And you wanted to deliver that for your kids and the way you were, that wasn't going to happen? Well, if I was going to get out, timing in life is everything. Yeah. You know, I'm really a fundamental believer. Timing is everything. You don't create luck in life. Luck, you know, you have to work at being lucky. Yes. But timing is, again, going back to knowing when the timing is right. And you said you sit in a room sometimes and you can think about things and you know what is going on.
49:06Time is just a reoccurring sort of thing. So I changed, you know. Not straight away. It took a while. In fact, I remember seeing you in Chiswick. Yeah. I know. In the early 2000s, I think.
49:24Davina McCall:Yeah. Probably 2003. Were you in Chiswick at that point? Yep. Yep. Yep. On the high road. Yeah. God, how funny. I remember seeing you. It's mad, isn't it? We talked. Yep. We talked. Yeah, but I mean, what's weird is I don't really know you. No. But I really feel like I know you. Yeah, likewise. It's quite odd. It's a odd feeling. It is. I want to ask you what that feeling of becoming a father for the first time and the second time, because they were only a year apart, right? What was that like for you? Well, I was still dealing with the demons, but it was just, it felt comfortable. It felt, it felt, I was scared about the responsibility.
50:12Were you? Yeah, I was scared about the responsibility.
50:14Davina McCall:It's a lot, isn't it? Yeah, it is. It's a huge deal. Yeah, it is a huge deal. It's the best thing I've ever, ever done, becoming a parent. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But it's, when it happens to you, you're like, wow, what? Yeah, I mean, it's a long time ago now. Yeah, me too. And I'm a believer in nothing bonds better than the tug of war you have with life, you know. And kids throw that tug of war in, you know, the sleepless nights and the worrying. And that's the problem as they get older is it gets more, oh, God, their dreams and aspirations come true. And I hope they're healthy and I hope they, you know, don't have an accident.
51:00You know, there's a whole other, but it's that tug of war. I've always loved a challenge, you know, never shied away from a challenge. And that was the next part of my story, you know. So I embraced it.
51:19Davina McCall:One of the things I love is the things kids teach you, like about yourself. Yeah. It's so brilliant and they might have differing opinions to you and how brilliant it is to sit and listen to someone you love so much and the respect that you have for their opinion and how you can have big, difficult conversations that in another arena might be really complicated to have and we have really respectful. It's so great. Well, some people fall out with their kids. I don't think I could ever do that. Some people, you know, and also when you start to bring other people into the mix and, you know, it gets, it's complicated.
52:11That's what I'm talking about this, you know, I'm not saying specifically me, you know, any specific situation, but I'm just saying that's what I'm talking about, the complication, the world, as you get older, it doesn't get. You know, when they're at school, it's easy.
52:30Davina McCall:Yeah. You just send them off and their dreams are managed, you know. But, you know, the other thing is you've got to let. Life. Let them go. Yeah, of course. Like. Sting. Yeah. Set them free. Yeah. I want to show you something. Oh, Jesus. Oh, God. I'm sorry to do this to you, Jason. Is it a good thing? Have a look. Would you read it for us, please? Sure. I feel like I'm a long-lost family or something. I'm handing you the letter. Please, could you read it to us? Music's going to start. Is this your life reimagined moment? Is someone going to walk through the door? Yeah. No, they're not. Don't worry.
53:09Davina McCall:They're not. No, they're not. Oh, Jesus. What's in here? Fucking hell. Now, watching my son Jason grow has been one of the greatest privileges of my life. From a young man attending D-Lar High School, interested in art and music, to moving across the world to pursue his dream of being an entertainer, headlining theatres in the West, and he's come so far and achieved so. Jason's hard work, resilience, and talent has evolved to a truly successful career. That said, I believe his biggest accomplishment is his beautiful family. The way he is with his three children, his wife, Angela, makes me so proud of the man he has become.
53:49Family is the real success. It doesn't matter what you do in life as long as you have the love of others around you. That is what makes it. So is that my dad? Did he write that? Wow.
54:03Davina McCall:Can I just say, what a line. It doesn't matter what you do in life as long as you have the love of others around you. That's what makes you successful. I love you, Jay. Your dad wrote that. Did he really? Now, why are you so surprised about that? Because he's 91. And he's sort of very, he's very. Has he never spoken like that before? No, dad's pretty good, you know.
54:38Yeah. Love you, Jay. Well, that's my dad. I'll keep that. Thank you. It's a pleasure. Yeah. That's pretty wild. Yeah. Wow.
54:55Davina McCall:I mean, well done. Thank you. For being the man. I'll try. That your dad said. Said out. Yeah, listen, I think, you know, he, yeah, I think I'm a good son. You're a good son. Yeah. You're a good dad. Yeah. You're a good husband. Yeah. You're a fucking great performer. Thank you, Jason. Can I ask you one other thing? Like, where are you going? What have we got to look forward to? Play in Australia. In Australia? I'm coming to Australia. It's in Melbourne. Melbourne, I'll come. What else would you love to do? is there anything that like you want to do that you haven't done yet? Do you want to do more musical theatre?
55:45Davina McCall:Can I say something? I feel like we haven't even touched on, and I don't want to keep you here for hours and hours, we might have to come back and do Part Deux. Part 2. But like you left Neighbours and you went and started a pop career with PWL. And, you know, it was a machine. So you left a machine of like you had to be Scott. Yeah. Then you went into another machine where you had to be pop. Like you had no option of what you sang. Could you choose what you sang? From Scott to pop. Scott to pop. Scott to pop. And there was no choices there. But really, I hear, tell me if I'm wrong, that you wanted to be a rock star.
56:28Davina McCall:Is that true? Well, listen, when I grew up, I listened to The Cure. Yeah. I listened to New Order. Me too. I was, you know, Heaven 17, Zah Zah, you know, Susie and the Banshees. Yes. You know, that was my mixtape, mate, you know. But then I used to do nightclubs to make extra cash on the side once I was playing Scott Robinson and I suddenly went to all these discos and, you know, Rick Astley's Never Gonna Give You Up came along. Kylie was singing her little heart out in the car that we were driving around town, you know, and she then got a recording contract, locomotion, went through the roof, and I thought, shit, I need to do something here.
57:12And, you know, that's sort of where I landed. You know, a rock star, well, I say about the Rocky Horror Show, you know, I did the 25th anniversary, I've just done the 50th. The thing I love about that show is that I get to be a rock star. Yeah.
57:28Davina McCall:I mean, so good. And Michael White, have you ever heard of Michael White? Yes. Who was the only person in the club scene, particularly in the 90s, Browns I'm talking about and those sort of things, who was part of that theatre world that was also part of pop stroke film, you know, and understood my sort of balance between the two. Look, musical theatre has been good to me. I never really set out to be a musical theatre star. I guess it's just been, you know, it's just been something that's, do I want to do eight shows a week? Would you ever, like, think, oh, I'm going to go and do some gigs on my own with a guitar and sing songs that I love and go and do Cure covers or New Order covers?
58:22Maybe, maybe, maybe, yeah. Yeah. I like Chet Baker these days. Oh, I love Chet Baker. So, you know, you'd probably see me doing a Chet Baker record before you'd see me doing a Robert Smith cover. Great. Something like that, you know. But what else would I do? I just want to be able to be simple and happy and maybe, you know, just, you know, love to have done a little bit more film work. And I think by deciding to become a pop artist, by taking the route that I did, by wearing that coat and the loincloth, I always say the good news is you're Jason Donovan. The bad news sometimes is you're Jason Donovan.
59:10It has a lot of good things about it. Yeah, yeah, I get that. But there's a lot of things for people to get their head around. and I haven't had that John Travolta moment in Pulp Fiction. Yes, yes.
59:25Davina McCall:But I think you still could. Yeah. I think I could totally see you acting in a movie. Yeah. I can see it. I'm a bit of a nutter, Davina. I remember. I can be a little bit of a nutter. I'm quite good at it. You are. The problem is I'm Jason Donovan. No, it's... And everyone sees a loincloth and a fluffy coat. Just quickly, I mean, this is really the end, but I just want to ask you this because... Oh, Christ. No, because... Shit, I'll hold on to this when I go. Because I worked in a nightclub in Melbourne. Did you? When I was 18. Do you remember... The Chevron. Inflation. I remember Inflation very well done.
1:00:09Davina McCall:So I was a barmaid at Inflation. I, my, and King Street. Yes. On a Wednesday night. You know, this is, that's, listen, that's my history, man. The underground. Did you go to the underground? I was in a band of musicians who got together when they weren't in their bands with Kate Sobrano, Phil Sobrano, and a couple of other people called The Way Back Five. I think I remember that. One night Michael Hutchence came and sang with us. Yeah. Hutch. I was in a band with Hutch when I was like 19 and I'd lied to get into the band. I told them that I was recording a demo in London and I was about to release my album and I'd sung with Phil.
1:00:57Davina McCall:To live with the album. And they said, oh, come and sing with us at the thing. I just completely lied through my teeth. Yeah. But it worked. What, well, inflation. But they'd go, you's going to inflations tonight. They'd put an S on the end of everything. Are you's going to inflations?
1:01:18Davina McCall:Am I really bad? Is it a really bad accent? It's not authentic, shall we say. It's pretty unauthentic. But listen, you know, I can't do an accent from West London. A bottle of water? Jason Yes I fucking love you I fucking love you too Honestly We go back Right? Come on Right? Right Jason Donovan everybody So just in case you missed this episode here If you love this episode I know you're going to love that
1:02:06Thank you.
From the publisher
What does fame at 17 really do to you?
In this episode of Begin Again, Jason Donovan opens up about growing up in the spotlight and what happens when success comes before you’ve had time to understand yourself.
Thrust into fame as a teenager on Neighbours, Jason shares what it was like navigating a world where everyone thought they knew him, while he was still figuring out who he was. Behind the success, there was pressure, confusion, and a lack of guidance that led him down a path he struggled to control.
He speaks candidly about the reality of those years; the partying, the expectations, and the feeling of having to navigate it all alone. At a time when mental health wasn’t openly talked about, Jason reflects on how difficult it was to process everything he was experiencing.
But this is also a story of change.
Jason shares how becoming a father became a turning point giving him purpose, grounding, and a reason to rebuild. He reflects on the lessons he’s learned, what he knows now that he didn’t then, and how he’s found a way to balance creativity, family, and peace.
At its core, this is a conversation about fame, identity, and what it takes to take back control of your life no matter where you started.
🌟 Follow for more powerful conversations about resilience, growth, and beginning again.
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(00:00) Intro
(02:36) The Face Magazine Outing Scandal
(14:38) Jason's Upbringing And Relationship With His Parents
(20:34) Saily Ad
(21:30) Bloom & Wild Ad
(22:32) Jason's Relationship With His Father And Stepmother
(27:01) The Beginnings Of Jason's Career & Working With Kylie
(28:47) Jason On Neighbours And Meeting Kylie
(31:10) Spirituality And Getting Older
(35:07) Paramount + Ad
(36:23) Begin Again Newsletter
(37:17) Jason's Wife Angela And The Buzz Of Performing
(41:37) Drug Addiction And Mental Health Battle
(47:24) Recovery, Meeting His Wife And Becoming A Father
(52:41) A Letter From Jason's Father
(55:23) What's Next For Jason And What Else He'd Like To Do
Sponsored by:
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Paramount+ - Episodes 1-3 of The Madison are available to stream on Paramount+ now: https://www.paramountplus.com/gb/shows/the-madison/
Episodes 4-6 will be available to stream from 21 March
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