Jason Donovan says he was "surprised" soap Neighbours was suddenly saved from being axed months after he filmed a special finale.
Donovan, 55, originally shot to fame playing the character Scott Robinson from 1985 until 1989.
He, along with Kylie Minogue, who played his onscreen wife Charlene Robinson, returned to much fanfare when the episode aired in October 2022.
Speaking to The Standard about how he felt when he found out it was not in fact the last episode, he said: "I was surprised. I didn’t not expect it to come back in a way, I mean, I didn’t broadcast that, but I sort of felt that it probably could happen. Those reunions tend to happen.
"Neighbours changed my life.
"To have not been part of the spirit of the celebration of 36 years of an Australian TV show about suburban life that sort of made the world sit up and notice our country, and to not give a nod to that, wouldn’t have been in good spirit.
"I wanted to do that and I reached out to other people that I know, Kylie [Minogue], Guy [Pearce] and a few other people and said ‘maybe we should make this happen’. So if the net result is the rebirth of the show and give more people work as a result of the attention that it got, great.
"It was a nice nod and a nice little touch."
Pearce, who played mechanic Mike Young, returned once again for the reboot. Asked whether he too could be tempted back, Donovan said it's a definite "no".
"I unfortunately said no to that because I just felt it’s done. Neighbours for me is done," he added.
Another reason is logistics.
Donovan has lived in the UK for more than 30 years and while for the first half of 2024 he will be dividing his time between here and his native Oz playing Frank N Furter in the 50th anniversary tour of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, his life is very much here with his wife Angela Malloch and their three children, including actress daughter Jemma Donovan.
Asked whether he would ever consider moving back, he says he "wouldn’t rule it out," but "it’s not in my plans right now".
"I do love this country, and I do love being able to be so close to Europe and America if you want to go there. Australia is great too, I have options and I’m very lucky."The one-time Strictly Come Dancing and Dancing On Ice contestant will get to see more of the UK in the not too distant future as he will be hitting the road next year for a massive UK tour taking in 30 dates across the country.
The Nothing Can Divide Us hit-maker will kick off his Doin' Fine 25 Tour in February 2025, including stops at Cardiff, Glasgow, Liverpool, and Birmingham.
He will even be returning to the London Palladium for one night only on March 3.
