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Actor Terence Donovan, Neighbours Star, Dies at 90

7/20/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Terence Donovan died peacefully in Melbourne on 18 July 2026 at age 90.
His sons actor-singer Jason Donovan and Paul Donovan announced the death in a social-media post.
He played Doug Willis in Neighbours from 1990 to 2022, appearing in 550 episodes.
He helped lead a “TV Make it Australian” campaign in the 1970s that forced broadcasters to carry stories.
He starred in the Australian premiere of Chicago in 1981 and mentored performers.

History

Historical Context

With 80% of 1960s Australian TV drama imported, the Fraser government introduced a 20 % Australian-content quota in 1975, enforced by the Australian Broadcasting Control Board and boosted by Terence Donovan’s “Make it Australian” drive that raised local programming to 30 %. The 2020 overhaul by the Australian Communications and Media Authority kept a 55 % primary-channel quota but swapped drama sub-quotas for a points system.

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Story summary

Terence Donovan died peacefully in Melbourne on 18 July 2026 at age 90.
His sons actor-singer Jason Donovan and Paul Donovan announced the death in a social-media post.
He played Doug Willis in Neighbours from 1990 to 2022, appearing in 550 episodes.
He helped lead a “TV Make it Australian” campaign in the 1970s that forced broadcasters to carry stories.
He starred in the Australian premiere of Chicago in 1981 and mentored performers.

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