Australian actor Terence Donovan, best known for playing Doug Willis in Neighbours, has died at the age of 90. His son, former Neighbours star Jason Donovan, announced the news on social media, paying tribute to his "best friend".
In a statement signed by himself and his brother Paul, Jason wrote: "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 added: "Our dad was a huge character. Larger than life. He was our best friend... Our world."
Terence Donovan's career spanned nearly seven decades, beginning in the early 1960s. He appeared in films such as Breaker Morant and The Man from Snowy River, and television series including Homicide and Sons and Daughters. In Neighbours, he played Doug Willis, the father of Jason's character Scott Robinson, and reprised the role as recently as 2022.
Born in London in 1935, Donovan moved to Australia in the late 1950s. He was married to TV presenter Sue McIntosh from 1965 to 1972, and they had Jason, born in 1968. His granddaughter Jemma Donovan also appeared in Neighbours as Harlow Robinson from 2019 to 2022, continuing the family legacy.
Jason Donovan rose to fame playing Scott Robinson in Neighbours, and his on-screen romance with Kylie Minogue's character Charlene became iconic. Jemma has since worked as a backing singer for Gary Barlow.
The family requested privacy, thanking the staff at Cabrini Hospital in Melbourne for their care. Terence Donovan is survived by his sons Jason and Paul, and his granddaughter Jemma.
