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EXCLUSIVE: Dannii Minogue on touring with Take That, motherhood and why Kylie is her biggest fan

They're getting the band back together and Dannii is coming along for the ride!
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Just when we’d gotten over the excitement of Take That announcing their upcoming Aussie tour this November, we’re once again squealing in delight with a very special home-grown guest confirmed to be joining them.

That’s right, the one and only Dannii Minogue has been unveiled as the band’s VIP act and will be joining Gary Barlow, Mark Owen and Howard Donald for their hotly-anticipated revival tour.

“These boys are really, really big news in the pop world. They’re bona fide stars and lovely guys! It’s going to be nice being on tour with them,” Dannii tells Now To Love in an exclusive chat.

And that’s not all the national treasure has in store for us. The 44-year-old is poised to release a brand-new track this week called Holding On.

Here, the beloved popstar fills us in on what we can expect from the Take That Live 2017 tour and how she’s planning to add her own glittering touch to the shows.

This is major news Dannii! You must be so pumped

I’m so happy! There will be huge venues in Australia, because I’m used to being on promo trails with them in the UK and travelling around, But it’s like no, now you can come to my hometown and let me show you around! I can’t wait.

They’re on their European tour at the moment and they just put on big spectaculars, that’s what they’re known for. I said to my son [Ethan], ‘Just wait til you see what these guys do!’

For my music, I’ve put together a live band that I’ve worked with before. I do the hits but I mash everything up. It will sound like the records but there’ll be lots of mash-ups and fun stuff in there and probably a new song.

Dannii has promised fans she’ll be performing some of her greatest hits like Who Do You Love Now, So Under Pressure and All I Wanna Do.

Please tell us you’re going to perform a sneaky song or two with Take That?

I don’t know! I keep saying does everyone know something I don’t?

All I know is that I’m going up with my band and doing my thing but who knows! We’ll see. At least if we have a jam backstage, it might end up on stage. A few friends messaged me and said, ‘Surely you’re going to sing Lulu’s part in Relight My Fire!

I mean, I just worked with her. I couldn’t bear the thought of being compared to her vocal on that. Oh my God, she is so fierce! We’ll have to choose something else, I’d hate the comparison. Shine is a favourite.

May we suggest getting the lads together for a rendition of Put The Needle On It?

Ohh, wow! Can I teach Gary Barlow some of my dance moves, or try to at least! promise you, I will try my best to get Gary doing Put the Needle on it.

Three of the Take That boys including Gary Barlow, Mark Owen and Howard Donald are reuniting for an Aussie tour this November.

Does your seven-year-old son Ethan understand that mummy is a popstar?

He’s seen me do a couple of sound checks and he knows my band, but I’m not sure that he quite puts it all together because he’s never there at the show. He’s seen my sister’s full show, so I don’t know how he kind of works it out. But I think this tour will be where he really sees me do my thing!

He LOVES music! He loves pop music, dance music and it’s so cute, his favourite rap that he’s learnt is from The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air. He loves watching it and that theme song at the start, he can rap that whole rap to me! It’s hilarious.

What do you think the key to co-parenting with your ex, Kris Smith, is?

I think with any couple it’s all communication, and us communicating really well with Ethan.

Will your big sister Kylie Minogue come and cheer you on?

If she is here [in Australia], she will definitely come along.

She messaged to say she’s so excited about it but I don’t know what her plans are because she’s writing her album now.

How else are you preparing for the tour?

I’ve definitely been starting to get fit. I’ve got a personal trainer that I’m training with and a training buddy. I find it really hard to commit to these things but I think if you do it with a friend, then you really don’t want to let them down.

I’m definitely in training! I want to be fit and enjoy every second on stage and not be puffed. Backstage I turn my dressing room into a mini-disco and we dance!

You can get your hot little hands on tickets for the Take That Live 2017 at ticketek

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