Dannii Minogue Biography

Danielle Jane "Dannii" Minogue (born 20 October 1971) is an Australian singer/songwriter, talent show judge, actress, television and radio personality and fashion designer. She rose to prominence in the early 1980s for her roles in the Australian television talent show Young Talent Time with another known fellow Australian Tina Arena and the soap opera Home and Away, before beginning her career as a pop singer in the early 1990s. Minogue achieved early success with hits such as "Love and Kisses", "This is It", "Jump to the Beat" and Baby Love, though by the release of her second album, her popularity as a singer had declined, leading her to make a name for herself with award-winning performances in musicals with Grease and also in Notre Dame De Paris, as well as other acting credits in The Vagina Monologues and as Lady Macbeth. The late 1990s saw a brief return to music after Minogue reinvented herself as a dance artist with "All I Wanna Do", her first number one UK Club hit.

In 2001, Minogue further returned to musical success with the release of her biggest worldwide hit to date, "Who Do You Love Now?", while her subsequent album, Neon Nights, became the most successful of her career. In the UK, she has achieved 12 consecutive number one dance singles, becoming the best-performing artist on the UK Upfront Club Chart. Since 2007, Minogue has established herself as a successful talent show judge and television personality. She judged on Australia's Got Talent in Australia from 2007 until her departure in 2012, and until 2010, she also judged The X Factor in the UK, where she was the winning judge in both 2007 and 2010 with Leon Jackson and Matt Cardle, respectively. In 2010, Minogue launched her own fashion label Project D London with her best friend Tabitha Somerset Webb. On 9 November 2011, Dannii received an honorary doctorate degree in Media and Arts from Southampton Solent University for her 30-year varied career in the showbiz and media industry. In 2013, Minogue became a judge on the ninth series of Britain & Ireland's Next Top Model, and on the fifth series of The X Factor Australia.

Childhood and beginning

Minogue was brought up in Melbourne, the younger daughter of accountant Ronald Charles Allano Minogue, who is of Irish descent, and Carol Jones, a dancer from Maesteg, Wales. She is the youngest of three children; her older sister Kylie Minogue is also a pop singer, and her brother, Brendan, is a news cameraman in Australia.

Minogue began her career as a child on Australian television. From the age of 7, she appeared in several soap operas, including Skyways and The Sullivans. In 1981, she joined the successful weekly music programme Young Talent Time. Minogue recorded her first solo recordings for the programme, including a cover version of Madonna's hit single "Material Girl"; during this time, she also performed live at several sold-out nationwide concert tours. In 1988, Minogue departed from Young Talent Time to continue her acting career, appearing as the rebellious tomboyish teenager Emma Jackson on the soap opera Home and Away in 1989. Minogue remained on the programme for only a year. She proved to be popular among Australian audiences when she was nominated for a Silver Logie as the Most Popular Actress on Australian television.

In September 1988, Minogue released her own fashion range Dannii. She became interested in fashion design while appearing on Young Talent Time. Minogue had designed the clothing she had worn on the show, and the positive response from the audience resulted in her releasing her own line. Minogue's debut line Dannii sold out across Australia in ten days, and was followed by three additional summer lines in 1989.

Career

1990-1995: Career beginnings, ''Dannii'' and ''Get into You''

Minogue signed a recording contract with Australian-based Mushroom Records in January 1989. Her first album, Dannii, was released the following year and reached number 24 on the Australian albums chart. Outside Australia, the album was released in 1991, under the title Love and Kisses, and became a top 10 hit. Minogue's debut single "Love and Kisses" peaked at number four on the Australian singles chart and was certified gold. In the UK, the song reached the top 10 on the singles chart. In August 1991 she embarked on an extensive promotional tour of South East Asia, including Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Taipei and the Philippines.

Minogue released Love and Kisses and..., a re-issue of her debut album, in November 1991. The album, a collection of dance songs, comprised tracks and remixes from Love and Kisses. It peaked at number 42 on the UK albums chart, and sold nearly 60,000 copies in its own right. Several remixes by producer and DJ Steve "Silk" Hurley were successful in European dance clubs. She credits these remixes for providing her with a "new image and sound to work with" on future releases. Also that year, Minogue made her feature film debut in Secrets, which co-starred Noah Taylor. The film revolved around five Australian teenagers who become stuck in the basement of a hotel in an attempt to see The Beatles. The film was not well received by audiences or critics, with Minogue's performance being described as "not all that convincing".

Minogue released her second album Get Into You, which included the songs "Show You the Way to Go", "This Is It" and "This Is the Way", in October 1993. The album contained uptempo dance tracks and mature poser, but despite her past chart success, failed to make the British top fifty. In mid-1994, Minogue returned to television as a presenter, co-hosting Channel 4's morning show The Big Breakfast in the UK. In 1995, Minogue released the singles "Rescue Me" and "Boogie Woogie", a collaboration with dance act Eurogroove. Released only in Japan, both songs reached number one on the Japanese singles chart. She began recording her third album in 1995; however, Minogue and her record label, Mushroom Records, parted ways in late 1995 following a contract disagreement. The tracks recorded in 1994/1995 for Minogue's then planned 3rd album were unheard for many years, they were finally released in 2009 via Cargo Records on the compilation album The 1995 Sessions.

In 1990, Minogue appeared before the Queen at the Royal Variety Show where she sang her latest release "Success".

1996-2004: Girl and Neon Nights

In 1996, Minogue resumed her co-hosting duties, presenting the Eggs on Legs road show segment. That same year, Minogue briefly hosted the children's show Disney Time and co-hosted, with Gareth Jones, the teenage Saturday morning entertainment show It's Not Just Saturday for 16. In 1997, Minogue hosted Top of the Pops, a British music chart television programme, before returning to her recording career later that year. In April 1997, Minogue made her stage debut as Rizzo in the musical Grease: The Arena Spectacular. In Australia, the show sold over 450,000 tickets during its first season. The following year, Minogue resumed her role as Rizzo, performing in New Zealand. At the 1998 MO Awards, Minogue was nominated for "Best Female Musical Theater Performer" for her role.

Following the release of several remixes of her songs by Steve "Silk" Hurley, Minogue became interested in dance music. She commented that the remixes were "the first thing I did that was really cool and my love of dance music and clubbing started from there." Minogue's interest in dance music and clubbing influenced her third album, Girl, released in September 1997, which featured collaborations with musicians such as Brian Higgins of Xenomania. The album presented a more sophisticated and adult style of dance music, but despite generally positive reviews, failed to make the British top 50. The lead single "All I Wanna Do", which the Daily Mirror described as a "bass-bumping, shuddering return", was a success peaking at number four on the UK singles chart. In her native Australia, the single also proved to be a success peaking at number eleven and was certified gold. The album's second single "Everything I Wanted" made the top 20 in the UK and the top 50 in Australia, while the third single "Disremembrance" narrowly missed the top 20y in the UK, peaking at number 21. All three singles released from Girl reached number one on the UK dance chart.

In June 1998, Minogue began The Unleashed Tour, a 22-date UK tour. Mushroom Records released two budget compilation albums in December 1998, as part of the label's 25th anniversary. Released only in Australia, The Singles comprised all Minogue's single releases, while The Remixes contained popular remixes. These releases were promoted with the song "Coconut" which was previously only available as a hidden track on CD versions of the Girl album. In January 1999, following her performance at the 1998 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, Minogue released the festival's first official theme song, "Everlasting Night". It appeared on the compilation CD Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras of 1999, and its music video, co-directed by Minogue, was a tribute to Australia's gay and lesbian community.

In November 2001, Minogue released the single, "Who Do You Love Now?", a collaboration with Riva. Described by Sound Generator as a "nice serene and dreamy vocal on the dance floor anthem", the song peaked at number three on the UK singles chart, and reached number one on the dance charts. In Australia, the song peaked at number 15, while in the United States the song was released to dance clubs, and reached number 12 on the United States' Billboard Dance Club chart. In 2001, Minogue signed a six-album deal with London Records, a subsidiary of Warner Music International.

In March 2003, Minogue released her fourth album, Neon Nights, which the BBC called "a pleasant cocktail of pop sophistication, club culture and accessibility". It consisted of 1980s inspired dance-pop songs and provided Minogue with some of the strongest reviews of her career. Neon Nights peaked at number eight on the UK albums chart (her highest ranking since her debut), and produced four top 10 singles. "Who Do You Love Now?" was not officially released as the first single, however it was included on the album. The official lead single was "Put the Needle on It", a 1980s inspired dance-pop song which proved to be a top 10n hit in the UK, peaking at number seven. It enjoyed top 20 success in multiple countries including Australia, where it peaked at number 11 and was certified gold. The second single, "I Begin to Wonder", was declared one of the "best things" on the album by Ireland's Radio Telefís Éireann and became her highest charting single in the UK, peaking at number two. In Australia, the single garnered Minogue another top 20 hit, peaking at number 14 and was also certified gold. Third single "Don't Wanna Lose This Feeling" was equally successful as its predecessors, peaking at number five in the UK, while in Australia the single just missed the top 20, charting at number 22. The album's success was equally widespread, and following extensive airplay by North American dance radio, Warner Music Group released it in the United States in late 2003. Singles "I Begin to Wonder" and "Don't Wanna Lose This Feeling" were also substantial successes on the US dance charts.

2004-2006: The Hits & Beyond

In June 2004, Afterlife released the album Speck of Gold, which featured Danni on the single "Take Me Inside." The album was released in Australia in 2008, featured two different versions of the song, both featuring Danni.

In October 2004, Minogue released the single "You Won't Forget About Me", a collaboration with the dance act Flower Power. Described by MSN Entertainment as a "real grower" and noted for its "snip snapping house beats and '80s flecked synths", the song peaked at number seven on the UK singles chart and also made the top 20 in Australia. "Perfection", a collaboration with the Soul Seekerz, followed in October 2005 where it reached the top twenty in both the UK and Australia.

Minogue released The Hits & Beyond, a greatest hits album, in June 2006. The album consisted of new songs alongside singles from her four studio albums. It debuted at number 17 on the UK albums chart. In Australia, The Hits & Beyond became one of Minogue's lowest charting albums, peaking at #67. The album introduced a new single, "So Under Pressure", inspired by the cancer diagnoses of her sister Kylie as well as that of an unnamed friend. On 11 December Minogue performed "Kids" with her sister Kylie during Showgirl: The Homecoming Tour in Melbourne and "Celebration" on 31 December in London at Wembley Arena. 19 April 2006. Retrieved 29 October 2008.</ref> The single made the top 20 in Australia and the UK and also became her 10th consecutive song to reach the number one spot on the UK Upfront Club chart. Minogue has described the recording of "So Under Pressure" as a "real achievement" as she was "brave enough to put all [her feelings] into words". In September 2006, Minogue's cover of "I'll Be Home for Christmas" appeared on Spirit of Christmas, a compilation album of holiday songs available through the Myer department store chain across Australia.

In November 2006, Minogue performed Sister Sledge's 1979 song "He's the Greatest Dancer" on BBC One's Children in Need telethon. A studio version of the song, remixed by Fugitive, appeared on the dance compilation Clubland 10, which was released in November 2006. The following month, "He's the Greatest Dancer" was released to UK dance clubs and reached number one on the Upfront Club chart. It also charted in the top 40 on the Australian singles chart.

2007-2010: Unleashed, Club Disco, Australia's Got Talent and The X Factor UK

October onwards saw a total of five releases from Minogue; first, on 29 October, reissues of her 1997 and 2003 albums Girl and Neon Nights, each containing a double-disc, the second disc of which includes remixes. On 5 November, she released Unleashed, a collection of previously unheard material from her time with London Records, and The Video Collection, which includes every one of her music videos as well as bonus features. Digital album Club Disco was released on the same date, featuring several previously released singles, such as "You Won't Forget About Me", "Perfection" and "So Under Pressure", cancelled single "I Can't Sleep at Night" and covers of "Xanadu" and the disco classic "He's the Greatest Dancer". Finally, on 3 December, a new single was released, entitled "Touch Me Like That" which peaked at number one on the UK Dance Chart.

In early 2008, Minogue was hired as the headline performer at Australian Fashion Week. In particular she was booked to make an appearance as the opening party hosted by MAC Cosmetics. She also returned as a judge on Australia's Got Talent for its second series and released Club Disco as a double album in Australia with some changes to the tracklisting.

At the start of 2009, a digital compilation album, "The Early Years", was released online that featured songs from Minogue's first two studio albums. Simon Cowell later confirmed that Minogue would return to her role as a judge on The X Factor for its sixth series and praised her commitment to the show. The programme began airing on 22 August 2009 and Minogue was once again joined on the panel by Cowell, Walsh and Cole. Following the initial rounds, she was given the "Girls" category to mentor and picked Rachel Adedeji, Lucie Jones and Stacey Solomon to represent her in the live shows. Solomon was her most successful act in the series, finishing in third place.

On 7 December 2009, Minogue released The 1995 Sessions, an album full of previously unreleased recordings made for what would have been her then third studio album, which never materialized due to differences with her then label. On the same date, Dannii re-released remastered editions of her first two albums with MCA Records, her debut Love & Kisses and the follow-up Get Into You. In total Minogue's music has achieved more than 200 weeks on the UK Sales Chart and she has sold more than seven-million records worldwide.

On 23 June 2010, ITV2 announced Dannii Minogue: Style Queen, a three-part documentary about Minogue's fashion line "Project D", The X Factor, motherhood, her partner Kris Smith, and her return to music as well as writing her autobiography - My Story, which was produced by Steve Vizard and broadcast in Australia on Foxtel.[39]

2012-present: The X Factor Australia, Britain & Ireland's Next Top Model and This Is It: The Very Best Of

In January 2012, Minogue appeared in the ITV documentary The Talent Show Story where she talked about her time on The X Factor UK and working on talent shows. Other talent show judges interviewed included Gary Barlow, Louis Walsh, Kelly Rowland, Tulisa Contostavlos, Amanda Holden, Piers Morgan, Carrie Grant, and Simon Cowell, as well as The X Factor host Dermot O'Leary, and Britain's Got Talent hosts Ant & Dec.

In February 2012, Minogue officially opened Madame Tussauds Sydney, unveiling a waxwork of herself at the launch. In April 2012, it was reported that Minogue was in talks with ITV and Simon Cowell to return to The X Factor as a judge and replacement for Kelly Rowland, who announced she would not return for a second series. However, in May 2012, Minogue and ITV confirmed that she would not return. In November 2012, it was announced that Minogue would not be returning to Australia's Got Talent in an attempt to reboot the show.

In June 2013, Minogue joined Elle Macpherson and Tyson Beckford on the judging panel for the ninth series of Sky Living's Britain & Ireland's Next Top Model. On 29 July 2013, Minogue made her debut on the Australian version of The X Factor, joining Ronan Keating, Natalie Bassingthwaighte and Redfoo on the judging panel for the fifth series of the show. In August 2013, Minogue released This Is It: The Very Best Of, a singles compilation that coincided with her debut on The X Factor Australia.

Acting, presenting and television

Minogue's other main TV project in 2008 came on 20 September when she presented the Nickelodeon UK Kids' Choice Awards 2008 ceremony. Minogue also appeared as a judge and mentor in the fourth series of ITV's The X Factor, alongside Simon Cowell, Louis Walsh and Sharon Osbourne. She mentored the boys category during the show and selected Leon Jackson, Rhydian Roberts and Andy Williams to represent her in the live rounds of the competition. In an interview reflecting on her first year with the show, Minogue commented: "I've finally been accepted as me. It's a fantastic opportunity, for once, not to be compared with Kylie. At last, I've found my own slot". Ultimately, two of her chosen acts, Rhydian Roberts and Leon Jackson, became the final two, with Jackson eventually becoming the winner on 15 December after topping the public vote. Minogue was the first female judge to win the show.

Minogue returned to British television in August 2008 as a judge on The X Factor, alongside Cowell, Walsh and Cheryl Cole, who replaced Osbourne. Following the initial auditions and Boot Camp stages of the competition, Minogue was assigned the Over 25s category to mentor. She chose Daniel Evans, Rachel Hylton and Ruth Lorenzo as her final three contestants for the series and was assisted by Spice Girls Emma Bunton. In the eighth live show, Minogue lost her final act as Lorenzo was eliminated from the competition, leaving her without a contestant in the semi-final. Minogue stated that she was proud of her performance on the series as she had kept the Over 25s category intact until week six of the competition, which was a record for the show.

Throughout the series, several people in the entertainment industry, including Ronan Keating, Noel Gallagher and Graham Norton questioned Minogue's judging credentials and mentoring ability. Additionally, there were a series of tabloid reports claiming that Minogue was jealous of newcomer Cheryl Cole and that this had led to backstage tension. However, Minogue repeatedly denied the rumours, as did Cole, who claimed that the reports were based on "a stupid stereotype which is not true". On 23 November, during a live broadcast of the programme, Minogue broke down in tears and was unable to introduce one of her acts, Rachel Hylton, following an on-air row with Louis Walsh over a choice of song. Despite the controversies, she proved popular in public votes and polls. Minogue later stated that she did not enjoy her experience on the fifth series and "would never want to go through that again".

On 10 October 2009, while providing comments on The X Factor regarding contestant Danyl Johnson's performance of "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going", Minogue sparked controversy by remarking that "If we're to believe everything we read in the papers, maybe you didn't need to change the gender reference in it.", after Johnson had spoken in a newspaper interview about being bisexual. Danyl appeared visibly upset and responded: "I'm not ashamed." The comment prompted immediate outrage from viewers demanding Minogue's dismissal from the show. On the following night, Minogue apologised on air and said that her comments were not meant in the way that they were taken. The media regulator Ofcom later dismissed almost 4,000 complaints about the matter and cleared Minogue of any wrongdoing. Minogue was assisted at judges' houses by her sister, Kylie Minogue.

On 13 January 2010, Minogue and her boyfriend Kris Smith announced that she was pregnant with her first child. Minogue later stated that, as her baby's expected arrival in July would clash with filming for The X Factor, she would be unable to appear in the audition episodes for series 7. On 3 July, Minogue tweeted to fans that "Team Minogue is back!" Later on 11 June, ITV announced that Minogue would return for the programme's Judges' Houses stage, with guest judges taking her place until then.

Minogue returned to The X Factor in September 2010 for Judges Houses, selecting Nicolo Festa, Matt Cardle and Aiden Grimshaw for her final three, with Paije Richardson as her wildcard act. Minogue was assisted by fellow Australian and friend Natalie Imbruglia who was a guest judge in Birmingham that year filling in for Minogue. Cardle was her only act to make it into the final and eventually won after Festa left on week one and Grimshaw and Richardson were eliminated in two consecutive weeks, week six and seven. This meant that Minogue was the winning mentor for the second time.

On 14 May 2011, it was announced that she would not be appearing in the eighth series of The X Factor. Of her decision, Minogue said "During discussions for me to return (to The X Factor) it became clear that unfortunately, this year, the X Factor audition dates in the UK clash with the live shows of Australia's Got Talent during June and July. For this reason I am unable to return."

In 2007, Minogue was hired by Simon Cowell to become a judge on Network 7 variety show Australia's Got Talent along with Red Symons and Tom Burlinson when it first premiered. It was after this series that Minogue was offered the role on The X Factor after Simon Cowell thought she proved good as a judge on Australia's Got Talent. She returned to the panel for seasons two and three in 2008 and 2009.

It was also confirmed in early 2010 that Australia's Got Talent would return for a fourth season. Minogue was the only original judge to remain on the panel as producers revamped the series. Brian McFadden and Kyle Sandilands took the places of Red Symons and Tom Burlinson.

Minogue returned to Australia's Got Talent as a judge in 2011 for the fifth series. She will also return for season six which will air in 2012.

In 2010, it was rumoured that Minogue had been offered a role on the Australian version of the The X Factor as a judge for the newly revamped second series. However, she declined and the roles eventually went to Natalie Imbruglia, Kyle Sandilands, Ronan Keating and Guy Sebastian, with Mel B and Natalie Bassingthwaighte replacing Sandilands and Imbruglia in 2011.

In January 2012, Minogue appeared on the ITV documentary The Talent Show Story where she talked about her time on The X Factor and working on talent shows. Other X Factor judges who were interviewed included Gary Barlow, Louis Walsh, Kelly Rowland and Simon Cowell as well as the host Dermot O'Leary.

In April 2012 it was reported that Minogue was in talks with ITV and Simon Cowell to return to The X Factor as a judge as replacement for Kelly Rowland who will not return in 2012. It has already been confirmed that Gary Barlow, Louis Walsh and Tulisa Contostavlos will return to the panel. On 17 May 2012, it was suggested that Minogue had turned down a one million pound deal from Simon Cowell and ITV producers to return to the show. The role was then taken by Nicole Scherzinger.

In December 2012, Minoque was confirmed as joining Elle McPherson and Tyson Beckford on the judging panel of Britain and Ireland's Next Top Model. She will replace Whitney Port and Julien McDonald who will not be returning.

In April 2013, Minogue announced that she would join the judging panel of the upcoming fifth series of The X Factor Australia as Melanie Brown's replacement.

Later theatre productions

In 1999, Minogue returned to theatre, starring in the production of Shakespeare's Macbeth at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. The play received mixed reviews; critic Matt Grant wrote that Minogue "lacks true conviction as she ploughs through the lines without capturing their full force", while Fiachra Gibbons singled Minogue's performance out, noting in her review that Minogue's "disco-queen-from-hell delivery works well" for her character, Lady Macbeth. Two years later, Minogue appeared as Esmeralda in the musical production of Notre-Dame de Paris in London's West End. The musical received poor reviews from British critics who called it "lame" and its songs "reminiscent of [the] Eurovision song contest". At the 2002 Maxim Awards, she won "Best Stage Performance" for her role. In 2001, Minogue also appeared in the stage play The Vagina Monologues, which co-starred Kika Markham and Meera Syal.

Radio

In June 2003, Minogue hosted her own radio programme, Dannii Minogue's Neon Nights. Broadcast in Australia and the UK, Minogue played songs by up-and-coming DJs,as well as her own music. Minogue departed London Records when Warner (its parent owner) dismissed its staff and offered Minogue a deal to depart the label or stay and wait a year to release her next album which had been partially recorded. Minogue collaborated with producers Hugo Lira, Gareth Young, Ian Masterson, Ross Callum and Pascal Gabriel. Many of these tracks where later released on the album "Unleashed". Later that year she signed a new contract with independent dance label All Around the World Records.

Fashion

In the late 1980s Danni Minogue had a fashion range that she designed and it was sold in K-Mart Australia.

Since joining the X Factor and Australia's Got Talent in 2007, Minogue has become a Style Icon in Australia, Ireland and the United Kingdom, receiving critical acclaim from various fashion designers such Victoria Beckham and wearing dresses from J'Aton Couture, Antonio Berardi, Dolce & Gabbana, Marchesa, Philip Armstrong, Carla Zampatti, Gucci and Aurelio Costarella and has featured on fashion magazines like Cosmopolitan, InStyle and Vogue. The press in Britain have especially taken notice of her sense of fashion and different hair styles since Cheryl Cole joined the X Factor in 2008 often comparing both of them. The praise Minogue got from the tabloids on The X Factor lead her to set up her own line called Project D along with a fragrance. The first line from Project D by Dannii and Tabitha was sold exclusively by Selfridges in the United Kingdom, the Spring / Summer line was showcased by Minogue during the live first Sunday night show of the X Factor Season 7, wearing her Jingle prom-style dress. In August 2012 the label was rebranded and relaunched as Project D London. On 5 July 2013 Minogue announced that she would no longer be associated with Project D London, ending a three-year collaboration with Tabitha Somerset-Webb.

In late July 2011, it was announced that Minogue would serve as the ambassador for 2011's Melbourne Spring Fashion Week, a role that will see Minogue participate in a series of appearances in September.

Endorsements

Minogue has been a global ambassador for Etihad Airlines since 2008.

It was confirmed that Minogue would be one of the new faces of Marks and Spencer. She filmed her first commercial in South Africa, which featured Cheryl Lynn's "Got to be Real", for their Spring campaign that aired 24 March 2010. She starred alongside Twiggy, Lisa Snowdon, VV Brown and Ana Beatriz Barros. Minogue didn't feature in the Autumn ad due to her pregnancy, she did feature in the Christmas ad with Peter Kay which featured the Bee Gees' "You Should Be Dancing".

Dannii travelled to Miami, Florida in January 2011 to shoot the commercial for M&S for the 2011 Spring collection.

It was also announced that Dannii will be the new face of world famous cosmetics brand ModelCo. Dannii will appear in ad campaigns for the company

Personal life

Relationships

In January 1994, Minogue married Australian actor Julian McMahon, whom she met in 1991 while working on the television series Home and Away. Minogue and McMahon were married for less than two years and divorced in 1995. Referring to the divorce, Minogue said that it was her "biggest regret and biggest downfall". McMahon then aired publicly that Minogue "Loved up the cornhole" and that it threatened his manhood. In October 1995, Minogue posed nude in the Australian edition of Playboy. Commenting on the reason she posed nude, Minogue said she "just had a marriage break-up. Most women go to the hairdressers - I did Playboy. I chose the photographer, the location, what I did or didn't want to wear and everything else about the pictures. I found it a really liberating, empowering experience". The edition featuring Minogue sold out in under four days and became one of the best-selling editions in Australia.

In October 1999, Minogue became engaged to French Canadian Formula One driver Jacques Villeneuve, but their relationship ended in 2001. In early 2002, she began dating music producer and Bros bassist Craig Logan, whom she met while recording material for Neon Nights. Media reports in March 2002 claimed Minogue and Logan were engaged, but in December 2002, it was announced that they had ended their relationship.

In August 2008, Minogue began dating English model and ex-professional rugby league player Kris Smith (born 20 August 1978). They met in Ibiza, where Smith was celebrating his 30th birthday. It was announced on 9 January 2010 that Minogue was pregnant. This was confirmed on her personal Twitter page when she tweeted "Woo hoo I'm gonna be a mummy! :-)". Minogue revealed the news after receiving the all clear at her 12-week scan. Minogue gave birth via caesarean section to a boy, Ethan Edward Minogue Smith, at Royal Women's Hospital in Melbourne, Australia on 5 July 2010. and weighed in 8 lb 3oz. She had previously planned for a home birth.

In April 2012, Minogue announced on Twitter that "It brings me great sadness to tell you that Kris & I have separated. We still care for each other & ask for privacy at this difficult time, in particular for our son Ethan who remains our number one priority." Smith also confirmed the split via his Twitter account.

In 2012, in an "unauthorized" biography about the life of Simon Cowell written by Tom Bower it was revealed that Cowell and Minogue had an affair during their time together on The X Factor in 2007.

Controversies

In 2002, the British National Party, a far-right and anti-immigration political party, claimed that Minogue supported their cause following comments she had made in an interview with Britain's GQ. In the interview, Minogue was quoted saying that French National Front leader Jean-Marie Le Pen had "struck a chord with people", and that "even the street signs [in Australia] are written in Asian". Minogue responded to the British National Party's claims in Gay Times magazine saying, "I am not a racist. That is not how I live my life. I have a Jewish manager, I perform in gay clubs, I come from a multicultural background and I am very proud of that."

In February 2006, Minogue made headlines again when surveillance tape stills from London strip club Puss 'N Boots were published by News Of The World showing Minogue and a female lap dancer "canoodling". A spokesman for Minogue downplayed the event and called it a "harmless girls' night out".

Minogue received much criticism during series 6 of The X Factor. Controversy began after the first live show on 10 October, after Minogue commented on press reports stating that Danyl Johnson was bisexual. After his performance of "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going", in which he had changed the gender of the person being addressed in the song from male to female, Minogue remarked to Johnson on air that he didn't need to change the gender if the press was to be believed. Minogue's remarks sparked an online backlash. Minogue's comments received some media coverage resulting in Minogue releasing a statement on the issue:

"I want to clear up exactly what happened on last night's X Factor show and post my sincere apologies to anyone who took offence. I made a comment about Danyl changing the lyrics of his song. It was meant to be a humorous moment about the fact he has an opportunity to have fun with his song. An openly bisexual singing a song that is lyrically a 'girl's song'. Danyl and I were joking about the very same thing in rehearsals on Friday, so it carried on to the show. I'd like to apologise to anyone that was offended by my comments, it was never my intention. I spoke to Danyl straight after the show last night and he wasn't offended or upset by my comments, and knew exactly what I was saying."

Minogue also apologised on the live results show on 11 October, saying Johnson was not upset by her comments. It has since been reported that British regulator Ofcom received around 4,000 complaints from viewers over the comment. As a result, Ofcom launched an investigation, which cleared Minogue and The X Factor. No penalties were imposed.

Media portrayal and other activities

Throughout her career, Minogue has often been compared with her more successful sister, Kylie. Referring to the comparison, Minogue said: "[I]t is hard to be compared all the time to Kylie. On the other hand, however, people will always try to compare you to somebody. Look at Britney and Christina." In an interview with Elle in April 2009, Kylie criticised X Factor judge Louis Walsh for his jibes at her sister: "I'm so proud of my sister and it annoys the hell out of me when comparisons between us are made. In England you lot don't know where she came from. She was on TV every week from 7-years-old. It makes it harder for her when she gets Louis Walsh's rather pathetic jibes - one of which is she hasn't had a hit record and that's just not true." She also denied rumours that she did not get on with Cheryl Cole or former judge Sharon Osbourne as "so cheap".

Minogue has performed multiple times at the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras and the London nightclub G-A-Y. She credits her gay following for much of her success, commenting that gay culture has "always been a part of [her] music". Minogue openly supports gay rights causes for social equality and believes that same-sex marriages should be accepted by all governments.

Minogue is an ambassador for the Terrence Higgins Trust, an organization that works to increase awareness of AIDS. She joined the charity in hope that her endorsement would encourage people to discuss safe sex and the disease more openly. In 2004, she posed nude, wrapped only in a red ribbon, to promote World AIDS Day in Australia and the UK. She has long been a supporter of breast cancer research and, in August 2008 became an ambassador for the Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre Appeal.

Heat Magazine issue 605 named Minogue as the United Kingdom's favourite X Factor judge with 42%, Simon Cowell was second with 35%, Cheryl Cole came third with 18% and Louis Walsh received the fewest votes with only 5%.

Discography

• 1990: Love and Kisses
• 1993: Get Into You
• 1997: Girl
• 2003: Neon Nights
• 2007: Club Disco

Filmography

Film
Year	Film	Role	Notes
1992	Secrets	Didi
2004	The Porter	Bunny Stigler	Short film
2007	White Diamond: A Personal Portrait of Kylie Minogue	Herself	Documentary film
2013	Alice's Birthday	Captain (Australian English Dub)	Animated film
Television
Year	Title	Role	Notes
1978	Skyways	Amy
	The Sullivans	Carla (#2)
1982-1988	Young Talent Time	Herself	Regular performer
1988	All The Way	Penny Seymour
	New Generation	Herself
1989-1990	Home and Away	Emma Jackson	Recurring role
1994	The Big Breakfast	Herself	Presenter
1994-1995	Fan TC
1996	It's Not Just Saturday		Host
	Scoop
1997	Disney Time		Presenter
	Top of the Pops		Host
1997-1998	Live & Kicking ("Electric Circus" segments)		Presenter
2007-2012	Australia's Got Talent		Judge
2007-2010	The X Factor		Judge/Mentor
2007	The Kylie Show		Comedy sketch
2008	Nickelodeon UK Kids Choice Awards 2008		Host
2009	Beautiful People		Guest appearance
2010	Ultimate Movie Toons		Host
	Dannii Minogue: Style Queen		3 Part Documentary of her current projects
2012	The Talent Show Story
2013-present	Britain & Ireland's Next Top Model		Judge
2013-present	The X Factor Australia
Stage
Year	Title	Role	Notes
1997	Grease: The Arena Spectacular	Rizzo
1999	Macbeth	Lady Macbeth
2000	Notre Dame de Paris	Esmeralda
	The Vagina Monologues

Awards and recognition

Year	Award	Category	About	Result
2011	Glamour Women of the Year	TV Personality of the Year	Herself
2010	No.1 Celeb Of The Year	Celeb Of The Year	Metro's Celeb Of The Year
	Max Factor 2010	World's Most Glam Celeb 2010	Herself	Runner-Up
	Elle Style Awards 2010	Best TV Star	Herself
2009	Cosmopolitan Awards 2009	Ultimate TV Personality of the year	Herself
2008	No.1 Celeb Of The Year 2008.	Celeb Of The Year	Herself
2007	Glamour Awards	TV Personality	Herself
2007	National Television Awards	Most Popular Talent Show	The X Factor
2004	WMC International Dance Music Awards	Best Hi-Energy / Euro Release	"I Begin to Wonder"
		Best Dance Artists	N/A
	Dancestar 2004 Awards	Best Worldwide Single	"I Begin to Wonder"
2003	ARIA Awards	Best Pop Release	Neon Nights
	Capital FM Awards	Capital Rhythm Award	N/A
	Disney Channel Awards	Best Female Artist
2001	Maxim Awards	Best Stage Performance	Notre-Dame De Paris
1998	MO Award	Best Female Musical Theater Performer	Rizzo in Grease: The Arena Spectacular
	BRMB Music Awards	Best Video	"All I Wanna Do"
1991	TV Hits Magazine	Best Female TV Star	N/A
	Smash Hits Poll Winners Party	Best New Artist
	BIG Magazine	World's Best Female Pop Star
	Radio One & Flash Forward Magazine	#1 Woman of the Year
1990	Logie Awards	Most Popular Female Talent	Home and Away
1989	Logie Awards	Most Popular Female Talent	Home and Away
	The Variety Club of Australia	Young Variety Award	N/A