Jason Donovan at 56, Frank-N-Furter, Blackpool 2024, it doesn't get much better than that.

Neighbours star turned popstar Jason Donovan is making a much anticipated return to one of his most famous roles: playing Frank-N-Furter in Richard O’Brien’s iconic musical, The Rocky Horror Show.

The production, which has already played across Australia and parts of the UK, is coming to Blackpool’s Winter Gardens between November 18-23.

Ahead of the shows arrival in Blackpool, 56-year-old Jason sat down for a chat with our celebrity reporter to talk all things Rocky Horror, Jason Donovan and of course, Blackpool!

How are you feeling about bringing Rocky Horror up to Blackpool in just over a week?

“I'm excited! The last time I was in Blackpool, I was with Joseph and the Technicolour Dreamcoat-  a few years back now - and I was also there once for the Strictly weekend. So, yeah, I love Blackpool and look, coming up north, the audiences are always up for it and Rocky is such a great show. It's hard not to see what people don't like about it, it's going to be a good week.”

You actually came to the Blackpool Grand Theatre back in 1998 with Rocky Horror and you played Frank-N-Furter back then- so why have you decided to take on the same role again?

“I was doing my own tour a few years back and I included a song from Rocky Horror - Sweet Transvestite. I opened the show with it and it went down really well with the audience and with me, it's a great opening. So I reached out to the producer when I saw that they were doing a 50th anniversary tour of the show because I thought, why not? You know, I did the show in 1998 when I was 30, and one thing led to another, I ended up being where I am, in the UK, so yeah I'm excited to be part of this production. It's an iconic moment for the show. Richard O'Brien was in London when we did it there a few weeks back and it feels like the timing of this, for me, and I'm enjoying touring with the show, it's a great thing to be part of.”

Compared to playing Frank-N-Furter in Blackpool back in 1998, what will be the biggest differences this time round and what will stay the same?

“I'm a very different person now. I mean, I'm still the same person but it's been a long time now, sort of 25 years ago. I think I come to it with a little bit more experience and I feel more confident in myself and where I am at - the people I have around me. In 1998 I was a single man having a good time. Now I'm the father of three, and myself and Ange - funnily enough, I met my wife in 1998 on Rocky Horror Show- we're still together so you know, it's sort of meant to be.”

And how has the show been going down elsewhere?

“Really well! We were in Cardiff this week, it sold out there, so that's great. We were in Glasgow last week and the audiences in Glasgow are pretty vocal so that was fun. We're on course to break a few records with this show. So I get to be a rock star every night and I'm getting paid to do something I love. There's not many negatives from where I'm sitting, but the show itself,  it's such a cult classic and the story of a misfit and dreaming to be different is very universal. There's fantastic songs and I think the marriage between myself, the show and the audience -I mean, having been a sort of 80s, glossy pop star to suddenly been playing Frank and Furter is is quite a juxtaposition, but I think the audience enjoy that dynamic, and I do too. I love playing the character.”

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What have the rest of the cast been like?

“Oh, they're great. I mean, they're a lot younger than me, I feel like the school teacher there but you know, I love the energy of a young company, and I think they're very supportive of my interpretation of the show. I like to take a few risks on stage -no performance for me is ever the same, I'm not one of those actors - so I like a bit of danger in the character. And, yeah, so far, everybody's really, really behind this production, and they're looking forward to Blackpool. I mean, wow, what's there not to like?”

Are you going to get a chance to explore Blackpool?

Well, I was there, as I said, a few years back with Joseph. It was summer so a different time of year to be there, I don't know quite how that sort of plays out. I keep my head down a bit, but I do a lot of walking along the beachfront there and I believe the illuminations are on, so I will be focused very much on my work, but at the same time, the atmosphere of Blackpool is always pretty, pretty unique.” 

Have you ever been to Blackpool outside of work?

“I haven't but I've visited there enough to appreciate its unique place in British culture. It's one of those towns that keeps coming up a lot in conversations about people's childhood and the seaside. Lytham St Annes as well, I've done some shows there, outdoor shows so, yeah, I'm looking forward to it.”

It's a very theatrical town - are you looking forward to seeing what outfits people turn up in?

“Well one of Rocky's unique showing points is the audience so it's going to be great to see the theatrics of Blackpool and the costumes and the shout outs. As I said, we're coming up to that Christmas time period so I think it's a perfect time to be landing in Blackpool.”

And why should people in Lancashire get those last remaining tickets to see you in Rocky?

“Ah, it's Rocky Horror, it's Jason Donovan, you know, it's a good night out. It's got great songs, and it makes you feel good. This show is also quite short but it has a lot of punch, and it has a wonderful message of daring to be different, dreaming big.”

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Are you putting down the Frank-N-Furter cape or are we expecting to see you again in Blackpool in another 25 years?

Well, at the age of - what will I do then- probably eighty, I don't know the answer to that question, but I think now Jason Donovan at 56, Frank-N-Furter, Blackpool 2024, it doesn't get much better than that. So I'm in my prime this moment to happen, and I'm looking forward to to the shows.”

Have you got a final message for the people of Lancashire?

“Although I’m not coming to Lancashire with my own tour, I am coming to Manchester and Liverpool so you'll be able to catch me there. I don't do my own live shows very often, so this tour is 35 years of live work and it will include a lot of Rocky Horror stuff as well. So it's called doing fine, and we're looking forward to playing a lot of dates and particularly the North West dates are always a special date in the diary.”