Kylie Minogue has spoken candidly about her harrowing experience with breast cancer, revealing she felt disconnected from herself during the ordeal.
In the newly released trailer for her upcoming Netflix documentary, the Australian pop icon admitted: “I felt removed from my body, I was so scared of what was ahead of me.”
The 57-year-old singer, who has shifted more than 80 million records throughout her career, also touches on feeling constrained by industry expectations.
“I hate being boxed in. I became frustrated,” she stated in the preview footage.
Kylie Minogue’s Netflix documentary lands on the streaming platform later this month
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The intimate documentary series draws on decades of home video recordings, private photographs and fresh interviews with Ms Minogue and those closest to her, promising viewers an unfiltered look at the woman behind the chart-topping hits.
The singer received her diagnosis in May 2005, when she was just 36 years old, after doctors discovered early-stage breast cancer.
Her treatment took place in Paris, where she underwent both a lumpectomy and chemotherapy before being declared cancer-free the following year.
The diagnosis forced Ms Minogue to halt her Showgirl: The Greatest Hits Tour, and she faced an intense period of media scrutiny during her recovery in Melbourne.
The singer received her diagnosis in May 2005, when she was just 36 years old, after doctors discovered early-stage breast cancer
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Her first public appearance following the diagnosis came in July 2005.
The widespread coverage of her illness had a remarkable impact on public health awareness, triggering an unprecedented surge in mammogram appointments across the country.
The phenomenon became widely known as the “Kylie effect,” and the star has since been recognised for her openness in discussing her diagnosis and treatment publicly.
The documentary also captures the emotional toll the illness took on Ms Minogue’s family, with her younger sister Dannii breaking down whilst reflecting on that difficult period.
Kylie Minogue in 1987
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“We didn’t know if she was ever gonna be well again,” Dannii said in the trailer, her voice audibly shaken.
“But I just wanted to be with my sister. Music kept us going,” she adds, as footage plays of the siblings performing together on stage.
The three-part documentary series, simply titled Kylie, arrives on Netflix on May 20.
The project comes from the same production team responsible for the streaming platform’s acclaimed Beckham documentary, with longtime documentary editor Michael Harte stepping into the director’s chair.
Netflix has promised the series will examine how Ms Minogue has navigated public scrutiny, personal loss and illness throughout her career
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Netflix has promised the series will examine how Ms Minogue has navigated public scrutiny, personal loss and illness throughout her remarkable career.
The trailer features contributions from several notable figures in the singer’s life, including her longtime collaborator and friend Nick Cave.
“Kylie is this force,” Mr Cave observed in the preview. “It’s all outward, giving.”
Former flame and fellow Australian star Jason Donovan also appears alongside producer Pete Waterman, both offering their perspectives on Ms Minogue’s enduring legacy.

