Dannii Minogue: X Factor took a toll on my life, mental health ignored
Dannii Minogue spoke candidly about her experience on The X Factor, sharing that appearing on the ITV show negatively impacted her overall life.
From 2007 to 2010, the Australian singing sensation, who is now 53 years old, served as a judge on the talent competition. During this period, she collaborated with judges like Simon Cowell, Cheryl, Louis Walsh, and Sharon Osbourne.
Dannii Minogue’s tenure on The X Factor was marked by numerous conflicts, as she found herself at odds with judges Sharon Osbourne and Louis Walsh. Following her departure from the show, Dannii revealed that she required counseling to cope with these challenging experiences.
In a recent chat, Dannii reminisced about the challenging period she experienced during the program, while also taking a gentle jab at the show’s management for not giving sufficient attention to her emotional well-being.
On Fearne Cotton’s Happy Place Podcast, she confessed, ‘I did have a time when I questioned, “If this is the cost [of the show] on my entire life – is it worth it for me?” I recall contemplating, “The show is what it always has been, and I need to step away from it.”‘
Currently, Dannii is immersed in the work for BBC Three’s I Kissed A Boy. Remarkably, she has observed and emphasized a striking difference between the two productions, mentioning that this latest project is the first time she feels the team has given due consideration to her mental wellbeing.
In my career spanning decades, from being a child star on television at just seven years old, it wasn’t until the set of I Kissed A Boy during its first season that someone said to me, “If you need anything, they’re always available.” This simple statement was a game-changer in my professional journey.
‘It’s the first time I ever thought that my mental health was important, and was acknowledged.’
Instead of prioritizing mental health during the production of The X Factor, Dannii suggested it would have been beneficial to have resources or support systems similar to what we have today. She stated: ‘Having something like that back then on The X Factor would have been extremely helpful.’
In addition, the artist known for “I Begin To Wonder” subtly took a playful jab at her fellow judges when she discussed her dedication on the program.
She noted: ‘The days were incredibly long. We’d immediately proceed to rehearsals for the coming week’s songs, and I was the only judge consistently present at 10 am.’
Working so intensely on the program left Dannii admitting she’d prefer to put a pin in her eyes instead of appearing on the spin-off show, Xtra Factor.
She noted: “I’d arrive home at 1:30 and need about three hours to relax, then they’d ask, ‘Fancy quickly dropping by at Xtra Factor?’
You seemed to think we were holding back, but watching from home, you saw an extraordinary performance. Energy-wise, perhaps more than usual wasn’t displayed.
You might have felt we could have given more, but to an audience at home, it was a spectacular show. There may have been less energy than normal on display.
In another part of the podcast, Dannii confessed that without Dannii’s mental fortitude, he wouldn’t exist. This is due to the years of hurtful remarks and constant comparisons to his older sister, Kylie Minogue.
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During a different segment on the podcast, Dannii openly shared that he owes his life to Dannii’s resilience, having endured years of harsh criticisms and being compared to his famous sibling, Kylie Minogue.
Dannii disclosed, “To my friends, I’ve admitted, ‘If I weren’t mentally resilient and didn’t have some form of eating disorder or similar issue, I wouldn’t be here today.’ This statement holds true.
‘It was so brutal, and it went on for years.’
Even though some people have attempted to foster a sense of rivalry between them, Dannii and Kylie Minogue, both being 56 years old, continue to stand as a strong, unified team.
She mentioned that throughout our lives, she has been contrasted with her sister, as they have fundamentally dissimilar body types.
‘I wasn’t living up to her body. At the time, the only body shape that was accepted was slim.
‘I was a square trying to fit into a hole. You read back now how nasty the comments were.’
Later, Dannii expressed that she values spending quality time with her loved ones as her top priority, and will only accept work that holds significant importance for her.
She’s currently partnered with music producer Adrian Newman, and the birth of her 14-year-old son Ethan in 2010 significantly shifted her priorities.
She shared that she’s spent her lifetime venturing across the globe, which often meant being absent for important events like birthdays, weddings, and funerals.
‘I’m really trying to find the balance now.
Experiencing pure joy devoid of other aspects isn’t feasible. Accepting that life comes with both brightness and shadows means embracing the entirety of it.
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2025-04-29 10:20