Here’s a seemingly straightforward pub quiz question: back in the 1980s, who played Scott Robinson in the Australian TV soap Neighbours? The answer seems glaringly obvious – it has to be Jason Donovan. Yet anyone who thought so would actually be mistaken. When Neighbours first aired in March 1985, the character was portrayed by a different actor, Darius Perkins. He was among the original cast members, alongside actors like Paul Keane (Des) and Elaine Smith (Daphne).
However, it’s Jason who the public fondly remembers as the blonde, mullet-haired, blue-eyed Scott from the late 80s and early 90s. His memorable storylines included
(Kylie Minogue), which drew an audience of 20 million in the UK. Jason went on to bag two prestigious Australian TV Logie Awards for the show, kick-started a pop career, and starred in musical theatre.
Things took a slightly different turn for Darius, who was first cast as Scott at the age of 20, following several previous Australian TV appearances. Darius’ time in the spotlight was fleeting, as within a year, soap producers decided to recast his Neighbours character Scott Robinson with Jason Donovan to enhance the role’s popularity. After leaving Neighbours amid whispers that his tardiness was the cause, Darius joined another Aussie favourite, Home And Away, as Gary Samuels.
He made a Neighbours comeback in 2013 as Paul Robinson’s shady business associate, Marty Kranic—a curious twist considering Darius originally portrayed Paul’s younger brother Scott back in 1985. Tragically, Darius passed away in 2019 at the age of 54 after a battle with cancer.
At the time, Darius’ former castmate and pal, David Clencie (who played Danny Ramsay), expressed his sorrow: “I am so sad, really devastated to lose my mate. We had this incredible bond. We were mates to the very end.”
Fans shared their condolences on Twitter, with heartfelt tributes pouring in for the original #ScottRobinson. One fan penned, “Such sad news that #dariusperkins the original #ScottRobinson has died after battling cancer #RIP #Neighbours thoughts with all that knew him.”
Another offered “Deepest sympathies are extended to the family of Darius Perkins, who passed away after a long battle with cancer,” while a third remarked, “Sad to hear of the passing of Darius Perkins, part of the original #Neighbours cast and the first Scott Robinson.”
Meanwhile, Jason Donovan and Kylie Minogue reprised their roles as Scott and Charlene for what was billed as the final ever episode of Neighbours in July last year – leaving fans crying – following the show’s cancellation by Channel 5 in the UK. The show was later revived by Amazon.
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