Veteran British-Australian actor Terence Donovan, best known for his memorable roles in Neighbours and Home and Away, has died at the age of 90. His family confirmed that he passed away peacefully in Melbourne, Australia, on Saturday night.
The news was shared by his son, actor Jason Donovan, who paid a heartfelt tribute to his father alongside his brother, Paul.
“Our Dad was a huge character, larger than life. He was our best friend… our world,” they wrote. “We will desperately miss him, but we take comfort knowing we were all here by his side in his final days.”
Jason and Paul remembered their father as someone who embraced life with enthusiasm and courage.
“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! How lucky are we to have a Dad like you,” they added.
Born in London, Terence Donovan moved to Australia as a teenager. He initially pursued a career as a singer before making his television debut in the early 1960s. His breakthrough came a decade later when he starred as Detective Mick Peters in the popular police drama Division 4. He later became widely recognized for portraying Detective Senior Sergeant Vic Cameron in Cop Shop.
In the 1990s, Donovan joined the cast of Neighbours as Doug Willis, taking on the role shortly after his son Jason had departed the long-running soap. He also appeared in Home and Away as Al Simpson, adding another beloved Australian television credit to his name.
Over a career spanning more than six decades, Donovan built an impressive body of work across television, film, and theatre. His film credits included acclaimed Australian productions such as The Man from Snowy River and Breaker Morant, while his stage performances further showcased his versatility as an actor.
Jason Donovan’s tribute also highlighted his father’s efforts to strengthen Australia’s entertainment industry. During the early 1970s, Terence Donovan became a vocal supporter of campaigns calling for greater investment in Australian film and television at a time when imported programming from the United States and the United Kingdom dominated local screens.
Sharing a photo of his father marching through Melbourne beneath a banner reading “T.V. MAKE IT AUSTRALIA NOW,” Jason praised his contribution to the country’s creative industry.
“The result of that campaign was an obligation on commercial television broadcasters to broadcast Australian stories,” he wrote.
Jason added that pioneers like his father helped pave the way for the remarkable growth of Australia’s screen industry throughout the 1970s and 1980s, making it possible for landmark films such as The Man from Snowy River, Breaker Morant, Picnic at Hanging Rock, Crocodile Dundee, Muriel’s Wedding, Strictly Ballroom, and The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert to reach audiences around the world.
Terence Donovan leaves behind a lasting legacy as one of Australia’s respected television actors and as an advocate whose work helped shape the nation’s film and television industry for generations to come.