11 March 2007
EXCLUSIVE: JASON £1M TO TELL KYLIE LOVE SECRETS
Mega book deal for star's Neighbours ex
JASON Donovan is breaking a 18-year silence to write a tell-all book revealing how Kylie Minogue broke his heart.
The former soap actor has signed a £1million publishing deal for a sensational new autobiography.
He will tell for the first time how he and Neighbours co-star Kylie (above) were all set to marry when she suddenly called off the wedding and dumped him - to begin her notorious affair with rock wild man Michael Hutchence.
Jason, 38, has never before spoken about his romance with Kylie, which began when they played heart-throbs Scott Robinson and Charlene Mitchell in the Aussie soap.
Jason's book deal with giant publishers HarperCollins was confirmed by his agent last night. His spokesman said: "This is the book every Jason and Kylie fan has been hoping for. There is no aspect of Jason's life and relation-ships he has not gone into. The book will be out this autumn."
Jason (above), who starred in last year's I'm A Celebrity, has also written about his battle with cocaine addiction, his damaging legal battle against a magazine that said he was gay and how his wife and kids saved his life. His frank autobiography sparked a bidding war which was resolved last week when HarperCollins stepped in with their seven-figure offer.
A publishing executive said: "This is a sensational celebrity book - with all the magic ingredients. There's every detail about Kylie, his drugs hell, his lean years and his comeback.
"The chapters about Kylie are absolutely gripping and have every sexy detail about Kylie. He reveals how close they came to marriage - and details the full story of how they got together and how it all came to a sad end. Jason was devastated. He couldn't even bear to see a picture of her with Hutchence for years afterwards. But he has always tried to avoid talking openly about the end of their affair."
Jason and Kylie were the two biggest stars in the Aussie soap in the Eighties and their on-screen wedding attracted huge audiences worldwide.
They both signed pop deals with hit-makers Stock, Aitken and Waterman and enjoyed massive pop careers - hitting No 1 together with their sickly duet Especially For You.
But Kylie shocked fans and cast aside her squeaky-clean image when she began an affair with INXS star Hutchence, who went on to choke to death in 1997 during a bizarre solo sex game in a hotel room.
Jason sold over three million records as a solo artist, then starred in stage musicals including Joseph and His Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, The Rocky Horror Show and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. But his career suffered a blow in 1992 when he sued over gay allegations. He won the case but there was a backlash accusing him of homophobia and Jason turned to drink and drugs.
In a recent Sunday Mirror interview he credits wife Angela and kids Jemma, six, and Zac, five, with saving him. He said: "Being a dad made me realise this is the life I wanted. Children were a means for me to move on from my reckless days."
He is now aiming to come back with a bang. His new single Share My World is out on June 11, with an album to follow, and he starts a 25-date tour of British theatres next month.
The stuff on Kylie is absolutely gripping
Sundaymirror
