Minogue

SHE’S one of the biggest stars in the world, but Kylie Minogue is dreaming of the simple life this Christmas.

Sitting down with Bizarre as she counts down to the big day, the I Should Be So Lucky singer reveals there are no diamonds on her festive wishlist.

Instead, the singer dreams of being invited to a good old-fashioned office Christmas party.

Her new festive album, Kylie Christmas (Fully Wrapped) — out on Friday — even has a track dedicated to the often messy annual do.

On the innuendo-filled song, Office Party, a sultry Kylie can be heard saying: “You know, I’ve never really been to one, but I hear they are lots of fun. So tell me, can we go to one?”

When Bizarre’s Jack questions if Kylie has really never been to an office do via her record label, or if it’s simply artistic licence to make a good song, the chart-topper laughs: “I’ve not! It’s coming from my perspective as I wrote it.

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“We’ve had office parties but it’s backstage somewhere. I’ve never worked in an office so it’s kind of like a fantasy for me.”

After we joke that she’s really glamourising the mundane nine-to-five that most people endure, Kylie giggles: “I appreciate it’s the day-to-day but it’s kind of, like, everything changes at the office party.

“One of the countries we went to on the Tension Tour, the work visa magically puts everyone in a suit. It was hilarious to us but that planted a seed in my mind that for our party, we need to all rock up in grey suits.”

Fair enough, we hear you loud and clear, Kylie.

Seeing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and way to win some serious brownie points at work, Jack quickly invited Kylie to our own bash.

Sadly she had to politely decline as she will be back home in Australia by the time The Sun kicks off the celebrations.

But Jack promised to do a rendition of Can’t Get You Out Of My Head on the karaoke in her honour.

It might be just as well she’ll miss the do if previous years’ excesses are anything to go by.

This time, Jack has been put on a four-drink rule, while Amir from the newsdesk has never truly recovered from 2023’s party.

Also on Kylie’s new album is XMAS — the record’s lead single, which is a collaboration with Amazon Music.

Kylie tells us the track, inspired by the Village People’s 1978 hit YMCA, has been a decade in the making.

She explains: “The song comes from 2015. I was at Soho House in Berlin, it was summer on the terrace and we’d just done the first Christmas album. We’d had a couple of glasses of wine — it wasn’t Kylie Wines back then — and it came to us like YMCA but XMAS. I’ve been sitting on the chorus for ten years.”

The song comes from 2015. I was at Soho House in Berlin, it was summer on the terrace and we’d just done the first Christmas album

Kylie Minogue

The video for the single will be out later this month and sees Kylie perform the famous flying dance move from 1987 film, Dirty Dancing.

Despite being a dancing pro, Kylie feared she would never be able to pull off the move.

She admits: “I was a bit scared as I’ve never done it before. It was a fantasy moment. I was told not to overthink it.

“We did a couple of practices before we did the main one. The thing is, you just need to trust the other person.

“The first one I got up, but I overshot it. The second was fine. The third one was good. The bruises were worth it the next day,” she laughs.

As for her own Christmas plans, Kylie will see in the big day back home in Australia.

Worked relentlessly

She says: “I will probably be tucked away, planning a BBQ. I love a cold Christmas, though. You will see on Fully Wrapped, I am very influenced by a British Christmas.

“I think it can be too hot and we are doing other things in Australia. We celebrate, but it’s different here. Any Aussie will tell you that.”

Next year will see Kylie step back from the spotlight, having worked relentlessly for two years, racking up two UK No1 albums and a 66-date world tour.

But that doesn’t mean she’s putting her feet up.

I will probably be tucked away, planning a BBQ. I love a cold Christmas, though. You will see on Fully Wrapped, I am very influenced by a British Christmas

Kylie Minogue

Kylie says: “It feels like I haven’t stopped. It’s been a gigantic year but I imagine I will be making music just for the love of it and maybe banking some things.

“I could happily be in the studio most of my time. I love it. I find it just gets richer and more satisfying.

“Doing the Christmas album in my breaks of the Tension Tour was maybe not so wise, but I love it.”

Keen not to get fans’ hopes up for a new Kylie record in 2026, she adds: “I don’t know about releasing. I think I should just do the background work . . .  maybe.”

Honestly Kylie, we adore your work ethic and the amount of music you’ve given us recently, but if you want to put your feet up when you’re back in Oz, we totally understand.

XMAS ON HIGH IN No1 RACE

KYLIE will be Spinning Around in excitement now her festive single XMAS, above, has officially entered the race for Christmas No 1.

Last night, the Official Charts revealed the track has jumped 55 places in the midweek charts – leaping from 64 to nine.

Insisting she’s playing down any idea she could nab the top spot, Kylie said: “I’m not counting on it.

“It would be crazy but that’s definitely parked to one side for me.

“I am just happy that ten years have passed since my last Christmas album and we are all here still going.”

KYLIE fans looking for early Christmas presents are in luck.

A Kylie pop-up shop is coming to London’s Battersea Power Station this Friday.

Open all weekend, it will offer gifts such as signed test pressings and limited-edition vinyl.

I SHOULD BE SO PLUCKY  

KYLIE has done things in her career the rest of us can only dream of.
But she’s never cooked a turkey.

The singer admits she leaves the cooking to sister Dannii and brother Brendan.

She said: “I’ve never cooked a turkey, though I have roasted other things. But I’m not a natural. It’s not my natural habitat, no.”

She adds: “My brother and sister are very present in the kitchen.

“I’m there, I’m sous chef and I’m available for anything that needs doing.

“But everyone’s families are like that, aren’t they? You know your place, don’t rock the system, don’t rock the boat. We all just want to get through Christmas.”

THE race to crown the Christmas No1 will get under way in two weeks.

And a dark horse, or should that be lovable bear, has entered the fray.

Paddington has become a major contender with song One Of Us, which is actually sung by McFly’s Tom Fletcher, who wrote it for the new Paddington The Musical in London’s West End.

He has stiff competition in what is looking set to be the most closely fought contest in years.

Martin Talbot, chief executive of The Official Charts Company, said: “The vision of Paddington taking on this year’s diverse gaggle of new festive chart contenders, alongside seasonal classics from The Pogues, Mariah Carey and Wham!, will be something to savour.”

The winning song will be revealed on The Radio 1 Chart Show just after 5.30pm on December 19.

Lee Phelps, from bookies William Hill, said: “Wham! are our odds-on favourites to be Christmas No1 for the third year running.

“They’ve been popular in the betting and are now as short as 1/2

“Kylie Minogue is the only other single-figure price at 11/2, while Together For Palestine take third spot in our market at 12/1.

“At 14/1, Taylor Swift joins Alison Limerick and Mariah Carey to top the charts on Christmas Day for the first time in the UK.”

Associate Bizarre Editor Howell Davies casts his eye over the contenders . . .

• Odds provided by William Hill. See the full market at sports.williamhill.com.

Paddington and Tom Fletcher — One of Us

6/1

AS one of the nation’s favourite characters, Paddington has topped the box office multiple times.

Meanwhile McFly’s Tom Fletcher has scored seven No1 singles. Now they are joining forces with One Of Us, written by Tom for Paddington The Musical.

The video, which is out today along with the song, sees them appear together at Paddington train station in London and had to be filmed under the cover of ­darkness to keep the secret.

The full soundtrack to the musical will be released in March ­following rave reviews for the stage show.

Wham! — Last Christmas

1/2

WHAM!’s hit about a seasonal break-up, set against jingle bells, has reached No1 for the last two Christmases.

When it was first released in 1984, it was pipped to the top spot by Band Aid’s Do They Know It’s Christmas?.

It’s the third best-selling single in UK history and was already the highest ­charting Christmas song on last Friday’s rundown, when it was at No19.

The profits originally contributed to famine aid in Ethiopia, but in recent years George Michael’s estate has been dividing the proceeds between a series of other charity groups.

Roland Gift — Everybody Knows It’s Christmas

66/1

THIS number from Fine Young Cannibals frontman Roland Gift started off as a bet but has since racked up more than 86,000 views online.

It fuses glam rock with a festive, jingle bell ball and is being released on CD and 7in single, as well as streaming and download services, in a bid to boost sales.

Roland told The Sun: “It started out as a bet with my mate, who’s a big Slade fan.

“He said if I could write a Christmas song that was a hit, he’d give my car a free service and new tyres. I hope this song brings a bit of warmth, a smile and maybe a bit of that Christmas magic your way.”

Kylie Minogue — Xmas

11/2

SHE released her album Kylie Christmas in 2015 and now the Aussie star is back to spread joy with a savvy link-up.

Her new song Xmas is ­exclusive to Amazon Music, meaning it can only be downloaded there or played through its streaming service.

But it’s a clever move, because it is among the first tracks to be played when people ask their Alexa devices to play Christmas music.

The last two years have seen Tom Grennan’s It Can’t Be Christmas and Sam Ryder’s You’re Christmas To Me finish in second place in the festive chart because of the power of Amazon.

Alison Limerick — Where Love Lives

14/1

THIS track has swelled in popularity since a cover by Labrinth featured in this year’s John Lewis Christmas advert.

Alison Limerick’s pulsating house tune was originally released in 1990. It peaked at No9 in 1996 but recently re-entered the charts at No44.

Now it is being tipped to rise far higher as the TV ad gets more plays.

Alison said: “Music has always had the power to bring all kinds of peeps together, but I hope this year’s John Lewis Christmas advert will give those who see it a new, emotional connection with the song.”

Denise Welch — Slayyy Bells

100/1

THE firm festive outsider this year is actress Denise Welch with her borderline-unlistenable offering.

The track has been released as a tie-in with choc brand Celebrations – 30 years after she hit No23 with a cover of You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me.

Denise, whose son Matty Healy is lead singer for The 1975, said: “I love Christmas, but sometimes I want to shake things up a bit. We don’t always have to have turkey or play charades. We can celebrate this special holiday our way.

“This remix, apart from being cool, catchy and a sure- fire hit, is all about ­having fun.”

Mariah Carey — All I Want For Christmas Is You

14/1

AS the Queen of Christmas, Mariah is never far from the charts at this time of year.

All I Want For Christmas Is You was first released in 1994 and has returned to the Top 40 every year since 2007.

It is an unabashedly joyful belter, complete with bell chimes and lyrics about ditching a desire for materialistic gifts.

It topped the charts in 2021 and remains a strong contender for Christmas No1, finishing last year at No3.

In the US, it is even more ­popular and has been the ­festive No1 for the past six years.

Taylor Swift — Opalite

14/1

SHE already has five No1s to her name and has spent the same number of weeks at the top with The Fate Of Ophelia. But Opalite, another track from her The Life Of A Showgirl album, is poised to become a competitor after The Sun on Sunday revealed she had flown to London to shoot a festive video.

She hired out a shopping centre in ­Croydon to film the scenes, with the video believed to include cameos from singer Lewis Capaldi among others.

An updated version of Opalite is expected to be launched alongside the video, just in time for Christmas.

Together For Palestine — Lullaby

12/1

THERE have been plenty of Christmas songs for good causes. Now Together For Palestine are hoping to raise funds with their ­charity single Lullaby.

Musicians including Neneh Cherry, Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Brian Eno, Bastille frontman Dan Smith and Celeste have joined forces with Palestinian musicians to appear on the track, which is a reimagining of a ­traditional Palestinian lullaby.

Speaking about the song, out on December 12, Eno said: “We have a real shot at landing Christmas No1 – and turning that moment into vital life-saving support for Gaza’s families.”

THE wild moment when Geri Halliwell and Kylie Minogue locked lips during a TV appearance has resurfaced.

The Aussie pop star and former Spice Girl — whose last name is now Horner — appeared on the iconic TFI Friday show in 1999.

Hosted by Chris Evans, TFI Friday was a huge TV hit in the late 90s thanks to its mixture of music, stars and entertainment.

It was never short of unexpected moments, including the famous snog between Kylie and Ginger Spice.

A clip showing their kiss was shared to Instagram and showed how the pair were sitting opposite each other at a table before embarking on an intense arm wrestle.

As the pair battled it out, they began leaning in closer to each other and ultimately locked lips.

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They then laughed and sat back before coming in together for a quick embrace.

“Back in ’99, pop royalty collided on TFI Friday when Geri Halliwell and Kylie Minogue shared a surprise kiss on live TV,” wrote the 90s TV Legacy Instagram account on the post.

Many people reacted to the video, including TV producer Nathan Eastwood, who was working on TFI Friday at the time.

“I had the job of asking Kylie to do the arm wrestle. She was so lovely, just said of course. The kiss wasn’t planned,” he wrote in the comments.

Other people who remembered the moment happening as they watched live also shared their thoughts.

“Watched it live, classic TV,” commented one person.

Another added: “I remember thinking ‘this is the best day of my life’ watching that as a kid.”

And a third wrote: “Late 90s early 00s was peak humanity and I will not be told any different.”

Kylie herself opened up about the kiss in 2012 when chatting to media outlet, Pride Source.

“That’s true, I hadn’t thought about that… We never discussed it – the kissing or anything. It just all happened,” she said.