Podcast Summary

Podcast: Great Company with Jamie Laing
Episode: JASON DONOVAN on Dr*gs, Partying in the 90s & Why Having His Daughter Changed His Life
Host: Jamie Laing
Guest: Jason Donovan
Date: December 17, 2025

Episode Overview

In this candid and wide-ranging interview, Jamie Laing sits down with Jason Donovan, the iconic Australian actor and pop star, for an unflinching conversation about addiction, fame, reinvention, and the turning points that shaped his life. Jason opens up about the wild highs and chaotic lows of celebrity in the 80s and 90s, his battles with substance abuse, family dynamics, public scrutiny, and how the birth of his daughter was the catalyst for profound personal change.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Childhood, Family & Upbringing (04:50–10:35)

• Growing up in Australia: Jason discusses being raised primarily by his father, actor Terence Donovan, after his parents split in 1972.
  • “My father got custody of me… He’s probably the only person in my life that's been part of my life consistently for 57 years.” (07:13)
• Complex family dynamics:
  • Jason’s relationship with his mother was distant at times, but improved as they both aged.
  • His grandmother (mother’s mother) played a significant role in his upbringing.

Early Career & ‘Neighbours’ Breakthrough (11:17–18:00)

• Entry into ‘Neighbours’: Jason recounts initially turning down the role, at his father’s urging, in favor of finishing school. The show was canceled but revived, and he eventually got the part of Scott Robinson right after finishing his exams.
  • “All the teachers unanimously said, go… And my dad said, don’t do it, turn it down.” (13:17)
• Learning to say no:
  • Jason reflects on wishing he had said “no” to more things in his career, learning its importance from his on/off screen partner, Kylie Minogue.
  • “No risk, no magic… sometimes say no.” (15:44)

Superstardom, Fame & ‘Jasonmania’ (18:00–20:59)

• Surreal heights:
  • The on-screen wedding with Kylie in ‘Neighbours’ was watched by 22 million, a cultural phenomenon that defined their early careers.
• The pressures of fame:
  • Becoming ‘owned by the world.’ Paparazzi, invasive fans, and relentless media attention took a psychological toll.
  • “People camped outside the house.” (19:58)
• Coping through work—then burning out:
  • An intense schedule with little respite led to overwhelming stress and contributed to beginning substance abuse.

The 1990s: London, Theatre, and Downward Spiral (20:59–38:56)

• Theatre reinvention:
  • Taking on ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat’ felt like the right move—“a way of reinventing what I was doing” (22:36)—but the workload was punishing.
• Drugs as escape:
  • Jason began using drugs “to escape,” leading to increasingly dangerous binges.
  • “I started to get into drugs quite a bit to… escape.” (20:59)
• Infamous moments:
  • Describes the infamous Viper Room collapse at Kate Moss’s 21st birthday: “...suddenly finds himself in a stretcher with the room closed down. Jamie, nothing, nothing to be proud of.” (33:56)
  • Admits to consuming up to three grams of cocaine a day during binges.

Sexuality, Tabloid Battles & Identity (24:09–29:26)

• The Face Magazine lawsuit:
  • Jason sued after being outed without his consent. He contextualizes the climate of the late 80s/early 90s, stressing it was about honesty, not homophobia:
    • “It was not the issue about homosexuality… the suggestion that I was lying about myself was where it came down to.” (27:10)
• Reflection on public mistakes:
  • “I’ve had to make decisions sometimes with no experience… there’s no real rulebook.”

Addiction, Rock Bottom & Recovery (29:26–38:56)

• How addiction took hold:
  • Recreational use became sustained binges; Jason recalls going four days without sleep, having seizures, and feeling no filter due to “money and ability to do what I wanted.”
  • “I just got back on it straight away... No filter. Nothing.” (34:11)
• The true cost of fame and freedom:
  • “That’s the freedom of success and fame… but it’s a curse.” (34:38)
• Turning point — Love and Family:
  • The birth of his daughter Gemma and meeting his wife Angela were the catalysts for change:
    • “That was the get out clause I was waiting for.” (31:57)
  • Jason describes himself as “all or nothing”—he could not be “half a parent.”

Processing & Accepting Past Mistakes (38:56–42:46)

• No rock bottom—but lots of public fallout:
  • “I didn’t hit that rock bottom... I was having my teenage years in the public.”
• Coming to terms with the public’s perception:
  • Constant references to his relationship with Kylie, even decades on: “Every time I get into a cab now is, ‘How’s Kylie?’” (55:21)
• Learning not to chase ‘coolness’:
  • “I thought for a long time I wasn’t cool... there is no such thing as being cool.” (41:00)

On Love: Kylie Minogue, Angela, and Relationships (51:14–58:16)

• Art imitating life:
  • “Our connection and what we shared was on another level… your relationship is owned by the world.” (53:37)
• The aftermath of a public breakup:
  • Candid about heartbreak after Kylie began dating Michael Hutchence.
  • How public fixation on his old relationship affects his current marriage with Angela.
• Mature, growing love with Angela:
  • “It’s something that just grew… anything too quick and full on doesn’t have the meaning.” (56:39)

Masculinity, Insecurity, and Changing With Age (60:12–66:42)

• Losing hair, growing older as a ‘pretty boy’ icon:
  • Jason discusses hair loss, the stigma for men, and self-acceptance.
  • “I lost my hair… which I would argue was one of the reasons also why I probably started to go downhill a little bit.” (60:26)
• Male vulnerability and objectification:
  • “As an actor, you're not unless you look fucked up... unless you look, you're not versatile, you can't deliver the goods.”
  • On being objectified: “There is real prejudice towards that... I get shouted at from scaffolds... As objectified in a way.” (66:32)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On addiction as escape:

  "When we take substances, we're sort of putting a bandaid on pain."
  — Jason Donovan (00:13, 43:22)

• On luck and timing:

  "I don't believe in luck. I think you create your own luck in life… but timing is everything."
  — Jason Donovan (17:12)

• On the price of fame:

  "That’s the freedom of success and fame… but it’s a curse."
  — Jason Donovan (34:38)

• On fatherhood and change:

  "The catalyst for change was meeting my wife. She didn't change me, but that time changed me… the birth of Gemma, the realization that I could get out now…"
  — Jason Donovan (38:08)

• On vulnerability and masculinity:

  "The more lines, the more you know, the better you learn, the more interesting I feel."
  — Jason Donovan (65:14)

• On public scrutiny:

  "Your relationship is owned by the world and then you split up. That was a really tough, tough time."
  — Jason Donovan (53:37)

Important Timestamps

| Segment | Timestamp | |-------------------------------------|---------------| | Family, Upbringing & Custody | 04:50–10:35 | | Getting The 'Neighbours' Role | 11:17–18:00 | | Peak Fame & Burnout | 18:00–20:59 | | 'Joseph', Reinvention, Burnout | 20:59–23:27 | | Face Magazine Lawsuit | 24:09–29:26 | | Substance Abuse Details | 29:26–38:56 | | Recovery & Fatherhood | 38:56–42:46 | | Finding True Self | 42:46–45:03 | | Jason & Kylie, Love, Relationships | 51:14–58:16 | | Aging, Masculinity & Insecurity | 60:12–66:42 | | Lightning Round/Q&A | 69:13–77:31 |

Lightning Round – Quickfire Questions (69:13–77:31)

• Phrase that cheers you up: "The biggest fear is fear itself."
• Best complement you can receive: "That you’re authentic."
• Biggest fear about himself: "My OCD… it's getting worse."
• Last time he cried: Watching the Caroline Flack documentary.
• Guilty pleasure: "Long lunches with wine."
• What turns him off: "A messy house."
• What turns him on: “A clean house… and Jack Nicholson movies.”
• About himself he’s most proud: “My work ethic and my ability to talk to anyone.”
• Favourite swear word: "Cunt. It’s such a chunky word." (75:44)
• Favourite lyric: "If dreams were wings, you know I would have flown to you." ('Especially For You')
• Favourite 'Joseph' song: “I look handsome, I look smart, I am a walking work of art.”

Tone & Style

The conversation is humorous, irreverent but always honest and vulnerable. Both Jason and Jamie move fluidly between deep introspection, gentle humour, and energetic banter. Jason is frank, reflective, and unafraid to own both his mistakes and his strengths, while Jamie’s empathetic, supportive questioning helps frame key moments with warmth and clarity.

Themes & Takeaways

• Fame’s hidden dangers: Even as external success grows, so can internal struggle.
• Complex family and self-identity: Family fractures and public life contribute to the quest for “true self.”
• Resilience and change: True change requires internal motivation and is often sparked by love and responsibility.
• Mental health & vulnerability: Jason’s honesty about OCD and mental health underscores the importance of seeking help and self-awareness, especially for men.
• Acceptance over coolness: Trying to be someone else or “cool” is a losing game; authenticity is the real win.

For listeners who want a raw, relatable, and at times laugh-out-loud look at what lies beneath the public persona, this episode delivers both entertainment and insight, with plenty of life lessons for anyone navigating tough crossroads or chasing self-acceptance.