💔 “HE WAS OUR WORLD”: Jason Donovan’s heartbreaking farewell to father Terence — and the detail about his final days says everything

Australian television is mourning the loss of one of its most recognisable faces. Terence Donovan, the veteran actor remembered for Neighbours, Home and Away and Division 4, has died aged 90.

His sons, Jason and Paul Donovan, announced that their father died peacefully in Melbourne on Saturday, July 18. In an emotional Instagram tribute, Jason described the news as both a moment of profound sadness and a celebration of a remarkably full life. The Independent

His family never left his side

Jason revealed that the family had been together during Terence’s final days—a detail that has deeply moved fans.

“Our dad was a huge character, larger than life,” the brothers said, calling him their best friend and “our world”.

Although they admitted they would miss him desperately, the family found comfort in knowing Terence had lived with energy, courage and an appetite for adventure. Jason and Paul also thanked the staff at Cabrini Hospital in Melbourne for caring for their father.

No further cause of death has been publicly disclosed.

The face of an unforgettable television era

Born in England in 1935, Terence moved to Australia as a teenager and eventually became a central figure in the country’s growing television industry.

His breakthrough arrived in 1969 when he was cast as Detective Mick Peters in Division 4. He remained in the popular police drama until 1975, establishing himself as a commanding small-screen presence.

Roles in Cop Shop, Prisoner, Sons and Daughters, A Country Practice and The Flying Doctors followed. Movie audiences also knew him from films including Breaker Morant and The Man from Snowy River.

Soap fans remember him as the troubled Al Simpson in Home and Away and, most famously, as Doug Willis in Neighbours. He joined Ramsay Street in 1990, shortly after Jason had finished playing Scott Robinson, and later returned for several special appearances—including the programme’s emotional 2022 finale. The Independent

Terence also campaigned for Australian stories to receive greater prominence on local television, helping lay the groundwork for an industry that would later produce internationally celebrated films and programmes.

A legacy extending across generations

For millions, Terence Donovan was a television legend. For Jason and Paul, however, he was simply Dad—the man they described as their closest friend and the centre of their world.

His death closes an extraordinary chapter in Australian entertainment, but his performances, influence and larger-than-life spirit will remain.

As Jason’s message made painfully clear, the family has lost someone irreplaceable—but they were beside him when it mattered most. The Guardian