Eighties heartthrob Jason Donovan has been signed up as a judge for Andrew Lloyd Webber’s TV search for the lead in Jesus Christ Superstar.

Jason — famed for his West End stint in Joseph And The Technicolor Dreamcoat — will be joined on the panel of ITV1’s Superstar by Lord Lloyd-Webber and, as TV Biz revealed, Dawn French.

Jason Donovan has confessed that the temptation to do drugs is still there, 12 years after he kicked the habit. The Australian star said cocaine had made him feel like the “master of the ball” when he took it.

On Piers Morgan’s Life Stories show tonight (ITV1, 9pm) Jason talks about the night he collapsed at Kate Moss’s birthday party in LA after taking too much of the drug.

Former Strictly Come Dancing contestant Jason Donovan has claimed that X Factor judge Gary Barlow would secretly love to take part in the dance competition.

Donovan, who finished third in the reality programme, claimed his pal is a wannabe dancer. He told the Evening Standard: "Gary loves his sequins and spray tans. I think secretly he fancies himself as a dancer on Strictly."

Jason Donovan and Spice Girl Mel C are set to help Andrew Lloyd Webber in his latest TV talent search, in which he will hunt for a lead for his new production of Jesus Christ Superstar.

The pair will assist the impresario with the 'callbacks' section of the show - during which the hopefuls will be whittled down to the final 40 - before helping them with training sessions. A spokesman for ITV, who is producing the show, confirmed the news, saying, "Andrew Lloyd Webber has invited Melanie C and Jason Donovan to assist him at callbacks, which last for three days.

After proving himself a skating sensation on Dancing On Ice, here's Chico hopping to it and showing he's pretty good on a spacehopper, too.

He was challenged by Jason Donovan to a race on the kids' toy to raise cash for Heart FM's Have A Heart appeal

Jason Donovan said he 'declined' the chance to represent the UK at the Eurovision Song Contest this year. The Australian actor and signer told Heart FM he was approached after coming third in the Strictly Come Dancing final last year.

Jason, who is co-presenting the breakfast show on the station all week, said: "Unofficially, I was asked this year to represent the UK at Eurovision. They actually came up to me and said would I be interested and I declined.

Jason Donovan is swapping the sequins for the studio as he prepares to release a new album. The Australian actor, who came third in this year's Strictly Come Dancing, will start work on his sixth as-yet-untitled record.

"It feels great to be going back in the studio," he said. "I know exactly how I want the new album to sound and I'm as excited as I've ever been about a record."

Jason Donovan finished in third place on Strictly Come Dancing, with Harry Judd winning the competition ahead of Chelsee Healey.

The singer received a standing ovation from the audience and judges as they congratulated their competitors on making the final two.

Pop veteran Jason Donovan is mentally and physically exhausted ahead of tonight's Strictly final.

The 43-year-old West End star received top marks from the start but his strenuous schedule on the dance show has taken its toll.

Eighties heart-throb Jason Donovan is threatening to use his success on Strictly to release a new album.

The Aussie actor has revealed he wants to make an assault on the charts by recording a collection of Michael Buble-style tracks next year.

Jason Donovan is so hungry for Strictly success he has been pleading with his professional dance partner to train him seven days a week, according to reports.

The former Neighbours star is competing for the glitterball against actress Chelsee Healey and McFly drummer Harry Judd. Strictly Come Dancing host Tess Daly was quoted as telling The Sun: "He has been in it to win it since week one.

Chelsee Healey and Jason Donovan last night became the first celebrities to get a perfect 40 in this series of Strictly Come Dancing.

It was the first week the couples had had to learn two full dances each, but Chelsee made the extra challenge look easy as she followed up an impressive American Smooth with her maximum scoring paso doble.

Jason Donovan has joked how the tough Strictly training regime made him lose a bra size. The former Neighbours actor, 43, revealed how exhausting the ballroom contest is and that it has made a massive impact on his body shape.

In an interview with Heatworld he quipped: "My bra size has changed dramatically. It's got a lot smaller. "I'm one of these annoying people that can't put on weight and I know people are envious of that!

Jason Donovan and Holly Valance talk to TV Times magazine about the excitement of dancing in front of thousands at Wembley on the Strictly Come Dancing Children in Need special (Saturday, BBC One)...

Arlene Phillips says she's very impressed with Jason Donovan's performance on Strictly Come Dancing as she says he used to have two left feet. The former judge has worked with the Australian actor before and revealed he didn't used to have any sense of rhythm.

Arlene said: "I'm really enjoying seeing Jason Donovan, who I know because he starred in The Sound Of Music, which I choreographed four years ago.

Jason Donovan threw a backstage strop after Strictly Come Dancing bosses roped in Kylie Minogue to help him. The pop princess recorded a “good luck” message for her former Neighbours co-star before his performance on Saturday night.

But far from being impressed Jason, who also duetted with Kylie on 1989 No1 smash hit Especially For You, hit the roof.
 

Arlene Phillips says Strictly star Jason Donovan was a terrible dancer when she tried to teach him in the 1990s.

The ex-judge said: "People won't believe this, but he had no rhythm. Working with him was like pulling teeth. Now he's leagues ahead on Strictly."

Jason Donovan became one of television's biggest stars in the Eighties thanks to Neighbours and his on and off-screen relationship with Kylie Minogue.

Like Kylie, Jason moved to Britain after shining in the Australian soap and had huge success as a pop star, selling 30million records. But drug binges stalled his career until he became a family man with wife Angela and three children – Jemma, 11, Zac, ten, and Molly, seven months.

Jason Donovan is addicted. Not to any illegal substances this time – the former Neighbours actor and singer has been clean for more than a decade, ever since he realised he had destroyed his “body, mind, soul and career” with cocaine. Now he’s only hooked on Strictly Come Dancing, devoting seven hours a day to finessing his foxtrot.

“Strictly is like a drug,” he admits. “Even though it’s so full on, when you leave it, you really miss it. Monday and Tuesday are really tough days, when you’re ‘sobering up’ from the weekend when you’ve either had a huge high or huge low.”