Jason Donovan saw his fame reach new heights 28 year ago when he began his stint on Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat in London’s West End.
But the actor has since revealed how the pressures of the role and his life at the time nearly led to his death.
The Australian star opened up about his experiences in the nineties as he prepares to return to the show to play Pharaoh.
‘I did the 1990s in a big way. I went out in 1994 and came back in 2001,’ Jason told the Mirror.
The actor admitted he ‘cheated death on more than one occasion’ during his famous battle with drug addiction.
However the 47-year-old father of three does not have any regrets about the decisions he made early in his career.
‘I don’t regret anything really. I loved being on cocaine. I was the most interesting person I know and it gave me a terrific buzz,’ he told Times Weekend magazine. ‘Unfortunately, it went on three years too long. But I’m a risk-taker really.’
However, Donovan also confessed that the addiction had a darker side too. ‘It was a dark time. It didn’t start out that way. It was all happy King-of-the-Universe type stuff at the beginning but then it did get darker’, he admitted.
He eventually kicked the habit after his now wife Ange revealed that she was pregnant – and told him that it was her or the drugs.
‘Ange is feisty, she keeps me in line. We met, we split up, we got back together again then she told me she was pregnant and she gave me an ultimatum, her and the baby or the drugs.’
When quizzed about whether it was hard to come off the drug, he added: ‘No. It wasn’t overnight but I just cut down and then I didn’t want it anymore.’
The actor has joined Andrew Lloyd Webber musical’s latest production as it returns to the London Palladium in the summer for an 11-week season.
Got a showbiz story?
If you’ve got a story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk Entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.
