Twenty years after fans fell in love with them as Scott and Charlene on Neighbours, Jason Donovan can't escape associations with Kylie Minogue - even in the most unlikely places.
The singer and actor, who now calls the UK home, is in Australia to promote his role as the voice of the cheeky game show host in the PlayStation 2 quiz game Buzz.
Donovan, who was also involved in the creation of the popular game, says one of the characters in it is based on Minogue.
"I have to say one of the characters is probably based on her," he told AAP.
"The girl, one of the contestants, I'm sure is very much based on Kylie."
Not that he really minds being reminded of his former girlfriend.
"I could think of worse people to be associated with," he said.
"There's always a level of frustration when you're trying to move forward in your own ways.
"But she's such an incredibly successful, iconic figure that you wouldn't be able to escape it, so why try? Embrace it."
Back in the late 1980s, Donovan and Minogue's Neighbours roles and very public off-screen break-up made them household names in Australia and the UK.
Now 39 years old, Donovan says he appreciates that period of his life more than ever.
"That period in my life and her life is something that is really etched in England, some of the European countries and particularly Australia, in the youth and beyond," he said.
"That sort of stuff stays with people for many many years.
"It hit home last year when someone sent me an invoice for something, and on the letter was a postage stamp of Scott and Charlene.
"Then you start to think, 'Yeah you've made an impact'."
Donovan appeared with Minogue in a sketch for her television special, The Kylie Show, which aired in Britain earlier this month.
He also spilled the beans on their relationship in his recent autobiography, Between The Lines - a book he said was "extremely honest" but also "extremely positive about Kylie".
"The one thing about writing the book was, I know a lot about myself. It's a subject I'm very, very well versed on," he said, laughing.
"I'm proud of it, it's an honest book, it's pretty broad, and I found it quite liberating.
"It's more critical of myself than it is of any other person.
"And now I when people say 'How do you feel about Kylie?' - read my book."
Donovan, who is now married with two children, said he enjoys his trips to Australia but is unlikely to move back to live here any time soon because of his family.
And he has definitely ruled out making a special appearance on the show that made him famous - Neighbours.
"I can guarantee you that will not happen," he said.
Front page
Technology home
RSS Feed