Donovan: 'New ITV drama is very me'

Jason Donovan has revealed that he is pleased with his new role in ITV drama Echo Beach because it is 'very him'.

The former Neighbours star heads the cast alongside Martine McCutcheon and Hugo Speer in the forthcoming series based around the Cornish seaside.

Donovan told the Daily Record: "It's the beach, it's me, it's surfing, it's blonde hair and blue eyes. It's very me.

"I'm nearly 40. I look back with fond memories. There's not a day when I can escape those references to Neighbours or Kylie but why would I want to? I'm proud of all that. Life's short, f****** enjoy it. I think you should never start taking yourself too seriously."

The show is part of a double bill including Moving Wallpaper, a fictional documentary, which the I'm A Celebrity... star claims appealed to him.

He said: "I read Echo Beach and thought, 'yeah' and then I read Moving Wallpaper and thought, 'this is for me'. They work very well together but can stand up on their own. It's a potent mix.

"If it was a straight-up soap I'd think harder about it. But TV exposure is something I had to have in order to get into hearts and minds and lift the currency up a little bit to be able to do to other things. I'd love to be having hit records all the time but life doesn't work like that."

Echo Beach starts next Thursday on ITV1 at 9.30pm.

> Click here for Soap Scoop's reaction to Echo Beach and Moving Wallpaper