![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/comp-1784460770.png\")
\n\t\tJason Donovan\u2019s father, Terence, has died aged 90 (Picture: Instagram\/Jason Donovan)<\/p>\n
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\n\t\tJason Donovan\u2019s father, Terence, has died aged 90 (Picture: Instagram\/Jason Donovan)<\/p>\n
Jason Donovan<\/a> has announced that his dad, Terence, who starred alongside him in Neighbours<\/a>, has died.<\/p>\n The Australian soap icon, 58, shared today that his father, 90, died \u2018peacefully\u2019 in Melbourne on Saturday.<\/p>\n \u2018It 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,\u2019 his statement began.<\/p>\n \u2018Obviously this is an extremely emotional time and we ask you to respect our privacy.<\/p>\n \u2018We want to pay tribute to all the wonderful staff at Cabrini Hospital, Melbourne who looked after him in his final days.\u2019<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\tAsk Metro<\/p>\n Use AI to go deeper into the stories you care about \u2013 powered by Metro and trusted publications.<\/p>\n Jason described his dad as a \u2018huge character\u2019, his \u2018best friend\u2019, and his \u2018world\u2019.<\/p>\n \t\t \t\t \u2018We will desperately miss him but we take comfort knowing we were all here by his side in his final days.<\/p>\n \u2018Knowing that he lived life to the max. Knowing that in life it\u2019s either a daring adventure\u2026 or nothing at all!\u2019<\/p>\n \u2018How lucky are we to have a dad like you,\u2019 he concluded.<\/p>\n Born in London, Terence moved to Australia with his parents when he was 14, where he pursued acting after first working as a truck driver and a house painter.<\/p>\n In 1965, he tied the knot with TV presenter Sue McIntosh, and they welcomed son Jason three years later. The couple divorced after seven years of marriage, and Terence married second wife Marlene Saunders in 1981.<\/p>\n The veteran actor had high-profile roles in Aussie\u00a0police\u00a0dramas in the 70s and 80s, playing Detective Mick Peters in Division 4 and Detective Senior Sergeant Vic Cameron in Cop Shop.<\/p>\n \t\t \t\t In 1990, he had a six-week guest role in\u00a0Home and Away<\/a>\u00a0as the second actor to play\u00a0Al Simpson, succeeding George Leppard.<\/p>\n That same year, he would join Neighbours as Doug Willis, with his on-screen family written out in 1994. Terence reprised the role in 2016, culminating in his character\u2019s death, which he later said was not the way he wanted Doug to leave.<\/p>\n Finally, in 2022, Terence made another cameo alongside Jason in the then-finale of Neighbours, also appearing with granddaughter Jemma Donovan, 26, who played Harlow Robinson between 2019 and 2022. She previously said dad Jason was emotional when she landed the part, keeping the programme in the family.<\/p>\n Jason, of course, famously played Scott Robinson<\/a> in the soap opera before his music career took off. He appeared from 1986 to 1989, during which time he was one half of the supercouple Scott and Charlene, along with Kylie Minogue<\/a>.<\/p>\n As for the rest of Terence\u2019s career, he had roles on\u00a0Prisoner,\u00a0Sons and Daughters,\u00a0A Country Practice,\u00a0and\u00a0The Flying Doctors.<\/p>\n Film-wise, he appeared in Breaker Morant (1980) and The Man from Snowy River (1982).<\/p>\n \t\t Following the announcement of his death, tributes flooded Jason\u2019s Instagram comments section for Terence.<\/p>\n Jason praised his dad\u2019s impact on the industry and how he pushed for Australian stories to be told with his campaign work.<\/p>\n \u2018The result of that campaign was an obligation on commercial television broadcasters to broadcast Australian stories,\u2019 the singer wrote.<\/p>\n \u2018Without people like my Dad we might not have seen the growth in the industry during the 70s and 80s and indirectly, Australian films such as The Man From Snowy River, Breaker Morant, Picnic at Hanging Rock, Priscilla, Muriel\u2019s Wedding, Crocodile Dundee [and]\u00a0Strictly\u00a0Ballroom.\u2019<\/p>\n Dannii Minogue<\/a> then wrote: \u2018I am so sorry you have lost your father. I love to hear about his achievements \u2013 this one here is incredible and it is lovely to how proud you are.\u2019<\/p>\n Gaby Roslin added: \u2018I am so sorry Jason for your loss. Sending you and your family my deepest sympathies and love and strength and he\u2019ll always be on your heart \u2764\ufe0f\u2019<\/p>\n Fans also declared Terence a \u2018legend\u2019 and \u2018a trailblazer for Australian TV\u2019.<\/p>\n If you\u2019ve got a soap or TV story, video or pictures get in touch by emailing us\u00a0soaps@metro.co.uk<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 we\u2019d love to hear from you.<\/p>\n Join the community by leaving a comment below and\u00a0stay updated on all things soaps on our homepage<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/SEI_305709355-36f8-e1784460899617.jpg\")
\n\t\tJason and brother Paul described Terence as their \u2018best friend\u2019 (Picture: Instagram\/Jason Donovan)<\/p>\n![\"MELBOURNE,](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/SEI_305732633-4c9e-e1784461472216.jpg\")
\n\t\tTerence was also a proud grandfather to Jemma Donovan, Jason\u2019s 26-year-old actress daughter (Picture: Sam Tabone\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n![\"Editorial](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/SEI_305728204-8a98.jpg\")
\n\t\tTerence played Doug Willis in Neighbours (Picture: Fremantle Media\/Shutterstock)<\/p>\n![\"Editorial](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/SEI_305728236-5ff1.jpg\")
\n\t\tThe Willis family initially appeared from 1990 to 1994 (Picture: Fremantle Media\/Shutterstock)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/SEI_305709353-f55e-e1784461542921.jpg\")
\n\t\t\u2018How lucky are we to have a dad like you\u2019 (Picture: Instagram\/Jason Donovan)<\/p>\n