British-Australian TV actor Terence Donovan has passed away, with his son, actor and singer Jason Donovan, sharing the news on social media.
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Jason wrote that his father “died peacefully” on July 18 in Melbourne, Australia.
“Our Dad was a huge character, larger than life,” the “Especially for You” singer added in a July 19 shared Facebook alongside his brother, Paul. “He was our best friend … our world! We will desperately miss him, but we take comfort knowing we were all here by his side in his final days.”
The brothers added that they also take comfort “knowing that he lived life to the max” and “knowing that in life it’s either a daring adventure or nothing at all”.
“How lucky are we to have a Dad like you,” the brothers wrote.
Born in England, Terence began his career as a singer in the 1960s before transitioning to acting. Per IMDb, he joined the police series Division 4 as Detective Mick Peters in 1969, followed by the drama Cop Shop as Detective Senior Sergeant Vic Cameron in 1977.
After a role in Home and Away in 1989, he joined Australian soap Neighbours the following year (just months after Jason, who started as an actor before becoming a pop star, departed from the show), playing Doug Willis. He appeared in 624 episodes before leaving in 1994, but returned for several guest appearances over the years, with his last appearance in 2022.
He also appeared in films such as Breaker Morant (1980) and The Man from Snowy River (1982).
Jason Donovan Pays Tribute to His Dad a Week After His Death
Meanwhile, Jason took to Facebook again in the wake of his dad’s passing.
In the heartfelt tribute, the 58-year-old described his dad as “wild, unique, outspoken, outrageous, passionate, focused, flawed, fit, funny and f—ing difficult, but always authentic. One of a kind.” He reflected on their close bond, noting that his father was his “best friend, biggest critic, supporter, nightmare” and ultimately his hero, adding that “no one has ever believed in me like he did.”
Jason also touched on the mix of emotions he felt as he left Australia, writing, “I’m sad but happy. Happy because I know that he had an incredible life. A life lived to the max.” He closed his tribute with a tender farewell, expressing how much he would miss his father’s “voice on the phone, loyalty, friendship and love,” signing off with his father’s special nickname for him, “Jabon.”
Terence Donovan was 90.