British-Australian actor Terence Donovan, best known for his roles in Neighbours, Home and Away and several iconic Australian television dramas, has died at the age of 90, states BBC.
His family confirmed that Donovan died peacefully in Melbourne on Saturday night.
His son, actor and singer Jason Donovan, announced the news in a heartfelt social media tribute shared with his brother, Paul.
“Our Dad was a huge character, larger than life. 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 statement read.
Born in London, Donovan moved to Australia as a teenager and began his career as a singer before making his screen debut in the early 1960s.
He rose to prominence in the 1970s as Detective Mick Peters in the police drama Division 4 before starring as Detective Senior Sergeant Vic Cameron in Cop Shop, two roles that established him as one of Australian television’s most recognisable faces.
Donovan later joined Neighbours as Doug Willis in the 1990s, shortly after Jason Donovan left the long-running soap.
He also appeared as Al Simpson in Home and Away.
Across a career spanning more than six decades, Donovan also featured in films including The Man from Snowy River and Breaker Morant, while maintaining a strong presence on the stage.
In his tribute, Jason Donovan also highlighted his father’s contribution to Australia’s entertainment industry beyond acting.
He said Donovan campaigned during the early 1970s to promote Australian-made television and film at a time when imported British and American programmes dominated local screens.
“The result of that campaign was an obligation on commercial television broadcasters to broadcast Australian stories,” Jason wrote.
He added that the campaign helped create opportunities for Australian productions, including The Man from Snowy River, Breaker Morant, Picnic at Hanging Rock, Muriel’s Wedding, Crocodile Dundee, Strictly Ballroom and The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.
Jason and Paul Donovan ended their tribute by celebrating their father’s adventurous spirit.
“How lucky are we to have a Dad like you,” they wrote. “We take comfort knowing that he lived life to the max. Knowing that in life it’s either a daring adventure or nothing at all!”
