Very few Australian families can boast a legacy quite like the Donovans.
From patriarch Terence to his son, Neighbours icon turned musician Jason, and the next generation – which includes Jason’s actress daughter, Jemma, and TV producer son Zac – the British-Australian clan has made their surname synonymous with stardom.
Now 82, Englishman Terence has enjoyed a prolific career spanning decades in Australia.
He is widely known for his roles in Neighbours, where he played Doug Willis, and Home and Away as Al Simpson. Beyond soaps, Terence also made a significant mark in local police dramas like Division 4 and Cop Shop.
Who was Jason Donovan’s first wife?
It was around this time that he married his first wife, Sue McIntosh, then the host of ABC’s kids’ program Adventure Island. She also appeared on The Benny Hill Show.
“They were Australian TV royalty at that time,” an insider tells New Idea.
The couple welcomed Jason in 1968, his destiny seemingly pre-determined at the time of his birth. However, by 1972, the couple had split, and Jason grew up mostly with his father.
In his 2007 memoir, Between the Lines: My Story Uncut, Jason, 57, laid bare the effect his parents’ divorce had on him.
“The sad truth about divorce, especially an acrimonious one, is that it really does tear people apart, and ultimately, as with all battles, there have to be winners and losers,” he penned.
“Why my parents couldn’t have put their differences behind them … still remains a mystery to me.”
While little is known about the current state of Jason’s relationship with his mother, photos shared across social media indicate Jason’s children have a very close relationship with their grandfather Terence, who was written out of Neighbours in 2022 following his character’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis.
Who is Jason Donovan married to?
And it’s clear Jason has been able to move on from the difficulties of his broken family with a healthy and successful marriage of his own.
The singer married British stage manager Angela in 2008, and the couple share three children together – Jemma, 25, Zac, 24, and 14-year-old Molly.
“We’re still going so strong together, and that’s another success story,” Jason says.
What do Jason Donovan’s children do?
Jason didn’t assume that his children would also step into showbiz, but they have. Eldest Jemma followed both her dad and grandfather to Erinsborough, arriving on Ramsay Street in 2019, where she played Harper Robinson for three years.
“My dad cried when he found out I got the role,” Jemma said when she was cast.
“He’s a great supporter, I love having him by my side.”
Last month, Jemma also took to the stage at London’s Royal Albert Hall to sing with Gary Barlow.
Meanwhile, Zac has stepped behind the cameras and currently works as a producer on Channel Seven’s Sunrise. Although Jason’s youngest daughter, Molly, is still in school, she may yet follow in the family’s footsteps!
Jason has said that he “couldn’t be prouder” of all of his kids – even if, as he admits, Jemma thinks his ongoing fame makes him “a lame dad!”
