Kylie Minogue has revealed she secretly battled cancer for a second time in 2021, admitting the diagnosis left her feeling like “a shell of a person.”
The Australian pop icon opened up about the previously undisclosed health battle in her new three-part Netflix documentary KYLIE, which premiered today.
The singer, now 57, said she chose to keep the diagnosis private while undergoing treatment, unlike her highly publicised breast cancer battle in 2005.
“My second cancer diagnosis was in early 2021,” Minogue revealed in the documentary.
“I was able to keep that to myself … Not like the first time.”
The star explained that she struggled for years to tell fans what had happened, particularly as she was privately dealing with the emotional toll of the illness during a major career resurgence.
“I’ve been trying to find the right time to say it,” she said.
“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.”
“I didn’t want to leave the house again at one point.”
Minogue said she was diagnosed during a routine check-up and has now recovered.
“Thankfully, I got through it. Again. And all is well,” she said.
The singer also revealed the experience remained with her even as her career reached new heights following the huge success of her Grammy-winning 2023 hit Padam Padam.
“Padam Padam opened so many doors for me but on the inside I knew that cancer wasn’t just a blip in my life,” she explained.
“And I really just wanted to say what happened so I can let go of it.”
She added: “I’d sit through interviews and every opportunity I thought, ‘now’s the time’, but I kept it to myself.”
Minogue said her 2023 song Story, from her album Tension, was inspired by that difficult chapter of her life, including lyrics referencing the secret she had been carrying.
“I needed to have something that marked that time,” she said.
The pop superstar was first diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2005, aged 36, forcing her to cancel her Showgirl tour and withdraw from a headline slot at Glastonbury Festival while she underwent treatment in Melbourne.
At the time, her illness sparked intense media attention and support from high-profile figures including Elton John, Delta Goodrem, and then Australian Prime Minister John Howard.
In promotional material released alongside the documentary, Minogue said she hoped speaking publicly now would encourage others to attend routine screenings and check-ups.
“There will be someone out there who will benefit from a gentle reminder to do their check ups,” she said.
“Early detection was very helpful and I am so grateful to be able to say that I am well today.”
She also urged people not to ignore the importance of regular medical appointments.
“Check-ups are incredibly important. It can be daunting and triggering but please be mindful of just how vital they are — and reach out for help if you need it, you’re not alone.”
Watch KYLIE now on Netflix.
