Kylie Minogue has revealed that in early 2021 she was diagnosed with cancer for a second time, after her successful treatment for breast cancer in 2005. The pop star discussed the previously unannounced diagnosis in a new Netflix documentary titled *Kylie*, available from today. "My second cancer diagnosis was in early 2021. I was able to keep that to myself ... Not like the first time," she said, referencing her highly publicized first treatment. "Thankfully, I got through it. Again. And all is well. Hey, who knows what's around the corner, but pop music nurtures me ... my passion for music is greater than ever."
Minogue said that after treatment, she struggled "to find the right time" to announce it publicly, including after the massive 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." Her 2023 song "Story," from the album *Tension*, addresses that period with lyrics like "I had a secret that I kept to myself ... Turn another page, baby take the stage." Minogue said of the track: "I needed to have something that marked that time."
In promotional materials, Minogue noted it was "my choice to share" the information, and that she was diagnosed after a routine checkup. "There will be someone out there who will benefit from a gentle reminder to do their check ups ... Early detection was very helpful and I am so grateful to be able to say that I am well today." Minogue, now 57, was 36 when first diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2005, canceling her Showgirl tour and Glastonbury headline slot to undergo treatment in Melbourne. Supporters rallied including Elton John, Delta Goodrem, and then-Prime Minister John Howard, though intrusive media attention prompted Victoria Premier Steve Bracks to remind journalists of privacy laws. After treatment, Minogue was given the all-clear, and in 2008 she revealed she had originally been misdiagnosed: "Because someone is in a white coat and using big medical instruments doesn't necessarily mean they're right."
She returned with the 2007 album *X*, finally headlined Glastonbury in 2019 (earning a five-star Guardian review), and enjoyed a massive resurgence with "Padam Padam," which returned her to the UK Top 10 for the first time since 2010 and won a Grammy. In 2025 she added a Christmas No. 1 with "Xmas" and the album *Kylie Christmas (Fully Wrapped)*, drawing her level with David Bowie and Eminem in all-time album chart-toppers. The three-part Netflix documentary, directed by Michael Harte, features interviews with her sister Dannii, Jason Donovan, and Nick Cave. Minogue added: "There are so many people for whom cancer is part of their life ... 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."