Kylie Minogue
- Profession: Singer
- Place/Date of Birth: Melbourne, Australia, 28 May 2020
- Associated with: Dannii Minogue, Jason Donovan
The episode has been written by Doctor Who’s executive producer and head writer Russell T Davies.
He said: "We are delighted and excited to announce that Kylie Minogue will be joining the Doctor.
"Doctor Who Xmas specials are always a joy and we feel very confident that this will be the most ambitious and best Christmas episode yet."
The fourth series of Doctor Who - featuring two assistants - will return in spring next year.
Freema Agyeman, 28, who was rumoured to be facing the axe from the BBC1 revival, will be absent from the first half of the fourth series.
The mystery new companion will join the Doctor for the entire 13-week run of the next series and is expected to be announced shortly.
Kylie plans anniversary bash? - June 19 2007
Kylie is reportedly planning a massive party this summer to celebrate two decades of pop success.
According to The Sun, the star-studded celebration will cost £500,000 and will coincide with the 20th anniversary of the star’s first single, LocoMotion, going to No 1 in the Australian charts.
A source told the newspaper: "In some ways it’s a celebration of the fact she has resumed her place in the music world after her illness.
"It’s also a chance for her to thank all the people who assisted and encouraged her, especially in Australia where her talent was overlooked for a long time."
Kylie is apparently planning to invite her old Neighbours co-star Jason Donovan.
The source also said: "She is even flying in old mates from Australia and begging her two grandmothers to make the long trip from Melbourne.
"Guests have been told to assemble at a Soho hotel before being bussed to the secret party location."
A spokesman for Kylie said he had no comment.
Kylie to be honoured with top award - June 11 2007
Kylie Minogue is to be honoured with this year’s Music Industry Trusts’ Award.
The pop princess will become the first woman recipient in the event’s 16-year history.
The award recognises the contribution an individual has made to the music industry.
Previous recipients include Sir Elton John and Beatles producer Sir George Martin.
Kylie said: "It is an incredible honour to be the recipient of this year’s award and I am truly thrilled to be recognised in this way."
The 38-year-old star will pick up her award at a ceremony on October 29 at London’s Grosvenor House.
David Munns, chairman of the awards committee, said: "There is no doubt that of our 15 award recipients to date, Kylie is by far the most glamorous.
"She deserves this award for her success over 20 years, staying at the top in one of the toughest professions and inspiring millions with her grace, dignity and humanity."
The Music Industry Trusts said the Aussie singer "has a unique place in this country’s heart".
"The award is being presented to Kylie in recognition of her universally-acclaimed status as an icon of pop and style achieved over a 20-year career which has seen her re-invent, experiment and inspire.
"Kylie has established one of the longest and most successful careers as a performer in contemporary popular music and her tenacity and determination to succeed, on and off the stage, have been an inspiration to so many.
"We salute Kylie for her unique gifts as one of the great entertainers of all time."
Kylie to coach X Factor finalists? - June 7 2007
Kylie is apparently set to coach X Factor contestants - after being roped in by her sister, Dannii.
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In 1986 Kylie was offered the role of Charlene Mitchell in upcoming soap Neighbours. Her storylines made her a household name in both Australia and the UK and the on screen wedding between Charlene and Scott Robinson (played by Jason Donovan) attracted record numbers of viewers.
Whilst performing The Locomotion on stage at a benefit in 1987 Kylie was spotted by representatives of Mushroom Records who signed her up and released the track. The success of her first release saw Kylie travel to London to meet with pop moguls Stock Aitken and Waterman who penned I Should Be So Lucky for her on the spot. The single was a smash and launched Kylie as one to watch and indeed her debut album became the biggest seller of the year here in the UK.
Panned by critics, Especially For You, a duet recorded with Jason Donovan (by this time a pop star in his own right) was a huge hit in 1989 but Kylie’s follow up album, Enjoy Yourself, whilst successful in Europe and Australia flopped in the US, resulting in the singer being dropped by her American label.
1990 saw Kylie make the first radical adjustment to her image. Gone was the cutesy girl next door in favour of a more sexy look for Better The Devil You Know, while a relationship with bad boy rocker Michael Hutchence cemented Kylie’s new ’cool’ status. Rhythm of Love produced several well received dance-orientated singles and was enough of a success to persuade Kylie to produce a further album despite her contract with PWA being up. Let’s Get To It was a critical success but was her first release to miss the top ten. Realising that she was stifled by the Stock Aitken and Waterman formula she recorded three new tracks for a Greatest Hits album and made a break for it.
So it was time for another change in direction. Kylie went indie following her signing to Deconstruction Records and Confide in Me spent several weeks at the Aussie top spot. The self titled album released alongside sold reasonably well although it received mixed reviews from the press while follow up singles eached top twenty. Elsewhere Kylie went extra dark, appearing on Nick Cave’s Where The Wild Roses Grow, a move which promised a more credible pop star in the future.
By 1997 Kylie had overhauled her image again, and the release of Impossible Princess the following year reflected that. A collaboration with the Manic Street Preachers wasn’t enough to stop the album from becoming the least successful of her releases and the end of Kylie’s pop career looked near.
However a split with Deconstruction resulted in Kylie hooking up with Parlophone and in an explosion of gold glitter and disco the pop starlet burst back on to the scene in an unfeasibly small pair of gold hotpants to promote Spinning Around and accompanying album Light Years. The single was Kylie’s first UK number one in ten years and resulted in a duet with Robbie Williams and a sell out tour. However, it was 2001’s Fever which cemented Kylie’s future. The unforgettable video for impossibly catchy single Can’t Get You Out Of My Head ensured that the track reached number one in over 40 countries. Follow up singles were almost equally successful and the awards flooded in while next album, Body Language, was another hit while Ultimate Kylie, a greatest hits release was accompanied by a lavish tour.
It was during this time that Kylie was diagnosed with breast cancer, much to the shock of her fans. Her headline slot at Glastonbury was cancelled and the rest of the Showgirl tour was postponed but after treatment from Australia and France’s best doctors Kylie was back on the scene looking better than ever. She began work on a new album and released a children’s book The Showgirl Princess closely followed by a perfume, Darling. She resumed her Showgirl tour and split with French boyfriend Olivier Martinez.
Elsewhere Kylie’s film career has been slightly less successful than her musical one. From The Deliquents to Street Fighter she has been panned for her on screen work her only success coming in the form of the green absinthe fairy in Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge!
updated March 2007
November 2007