Kylie Minogue has reflected on the moment she was diagnosed with breast cancer, sharing new insight in the trailer for her upcoming Netflix documentary Kylie.
The documentary revisits the singer’s 2005 diagnosis, when she was 36, and the impact it had on her life and career.
“I felt removed from my body. I was so scared of what was ahead of me,” she said.
The trailer includes archival headlines, alongside images of Minogue during treatment, showing her with short hair as she underwent chemotherapy.
Her sister, Dannii Minogue, also speaks in the documentary, recalling the uncertainty at the time.
“We didn’t know if she’s ever gonna be well again… I just wanted to be with my sister. Music kept us going,” she said.
Minogue’s diagnosis in May 2005 led her to cancel her Showgirl: The Greatest Hits Tour and withdraw from the Glastonbury Festival.
She underwent treatment in Melbourne before travelling to Paris for further care, including a lumpectomy and chemotherapy. She was later given the all-clear, with no recurrence of the disease.
Her illness drew widespread public attention, with supporters gathering outside her family home and calls for privacy from officials at the time.
When she eventually returned to performing, Minogue described the experience of chemotherapy as “experiencing a nuclear bomb”.
Her diagnosis also prompted what became known as the “Kylie effect”, encouraging many women to seek regular health checks.
The documentary also traces her broader career, including her rise to fame and the criticism she faced early on, when some labelled her the “singing budgie”.
