Jason Donovan superfan has seen him in 60 shows and has 'marriage proposal'

10 December 2023 , 19:43

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Emma now has dozens of selfies with Jason Donovan, has attended more than 60 of his shows (Image: Emma Charlesworth / SWNS)

A Jason Donovan’s superfan who has spent decades following him to 60 shows has even received a “marriage proposal” from him.

Emma Charlesworth, 42, has been a fan of Jason since he played Scott Robinson in Neighbours in the 1980s. She first saw him live in Joseph And The Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat in 1990 at the London Palladium and has followed him ever since. Emma said: “I went to see him in Joseph and queued at the stage door for three-and-a-half hours.”

Mum-of-one Emma, who works in marketing, from Bapchild, Kent, said: “I was about seven when I decreed that I was going to marry Jason.” The star obliged writing a note with the words “Emma, marry me” after he was told of her love for him by Emma’s sister Amy. The note takes pride of place in her office.

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Emma has wanted to marry Jason since she was seven-years-old (Emma Charlesworth / SWNS)

Recalling her early infatuation, Emma said: “I bought into Scott and Charlene/Jason and Kylie as the boy and girl next door. It was so exciting when you were off sick from school or in the holidays, you could watch Neighbours at lunchtime and teatime. When Jason started releasing music, it was a natural progression. Initially it would have been the blond hair and blue eyes. He is just lovely and a proper gentleman.”

Emma met him for the first time in 1998, when she was 17, after a performance of The Rocky Horror Show, at The Marlowe in Canterbury. Since then Emma, from Bapchild, Kent, has been to more than 60 shows and got a selfie at 20 stage door meet-ups.

Her quest has taken her all over the UK. She said: “I went to Wales this year. It took us six-and-a-half hours to get there. He was on stage for an hour. I’ve also been to Chepstow, Butlins in Minehead, Birmingham, Bristol, Southend and London.”

Jason Donovan superfan has seen him in 60 shows and has 'marriage proposal'

Emma met Jason in 1998 after a performance of the Rocky Horror Show (Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

Jason, now 55, even recognised Emma’s dedication when he sent her a message of support during a difficult period of her life. Emma’s husband, Stuart, 45, died after catching Covid in 2020. He was the lead singer of a band, and the wife of one of his band members decided to try to boost Emma’s spirits by reaching out to Jason.

Emma said: “She got in contact with Jason’s fan page and asked if there was anything they could do to get me some support. The next day I got a tweet from him. It probably took him 30 seconds but in that moment, when my world was capitulating, it meant so much.” The Aussie singer is set to perform at the Marlowe in Canterbury in 2025 during his Doin’ Fine 25 tour – the venue where Emma first met him all those years ago. She said: “I’m already going to London and York. I will also try to get Canterbury when they go on sale.”