Kylie Minogue revealed she faced a second cancer diagnosis in 2021, more than 15 years after her widely publicized battle with breast cancer.
In her new self-titled Netflix documentary, released Wednesday, the Australian pop icon said she chose not to go public at the time.
“My second cancer diagnosis was in early 2021. I was able to keep that to myself, not like the first time,” Minogue explained. “Thankfully, I got through it, again, and all is well.”
The singer admitted she struggled to find the right moment to share the news, particularly during the success of her Grammy winning 2023 single Padam Padam.
“I don’t feel obliged to tell the world, and actually I just couldn’t at the time because I was just a shell of a person,” she said. “I didn’t want to leave the house again at one point. Padam Padam opened so many doors for me but on the inside I knew that cancer wasn’t just a blip in my life.”
Hints of her experience appeared on her 2023 album Tension, with lyrics in the track Story referencing “a secret that I kept to myself.”
The three-part documentary, directed by Michael Harte, also features archive footage and interviews with family and friends, including sister Dannii and former Neighbours costar Jason Donovan.
Minogue stressed that early detection was crucial in her recovery.
She revealed that it was her choice to share this now, in the hope there is “someone out there who will benefit from a gentle reminder to do their checkups.”
Her first diagnosis in 2005 forced her to cancel her Showgirl tour and withdraw from Glastonbury, where she had been set to headline.
The openness of her battle at the time sparked what became known as the “Kylie effect” in Australia, encouraging thousands of women to get screened.
2026-05-20 16:27:00
