Minogue lifts the lid on love and heartbreak

Dannii Minogue. Photo / Getty Images

LONDON - Dannii Minogue has opened up about the loves of her life, describing how she "became a ghost" during her relationships with Julian McMahon and Jacques Villeneuve, and how she knew Kris Smith was "the one".

In her autobiography, My Story, the singer, actress and TV personality details her heartbreaks, the highs and lows of her career, and growing up as Kylie's sister.

The 38-year-old recounts her fairytale romance with first husband, actor McMahon, the son of former prime minister William McMahon.

But she says his mother, Lady Sonia McMahon, never thought she was good enough.

"Lady Sonia McMahon didn't approve of her son becoming an actor or, in truth, anything else he had done with his life," Minogue wrote.

"I was never once allowed to visit the McMahon family house when we were in Sydney and I remember very clearly having to sit in the car and wait for Julian while he visited his mother.

"It was made very clear to Julian that I was persona non grata as far as any family events were concerned.

"Lady Sonia McMahon wanted nothing to do with me and she made no bones about it."

Minogue and McMahon were married for less than two years. They divorced in 1995.

She later became engaged to French Canadian Formula One driver Villeneuve, but after a couple of years their relationship fell into a similar pattern.

"It seemed to me that although Jacques had pursued me with such romantic ferocity, now he had me - now I had essentially given up my whole life to be with him - that was it," she said.

"Just like Julian, Jacques appeared to love the idea of a romantic partnership, but appeared to have no idea what to do with it once he had it.

"I felt like a failure. It was the second time in my life that I'd all but lost myself in someone else and become a ghost. I vowed then that it would never happen again."

After a string of failed relationships, she met Smith, a former English rugby league player, at a party in Ibiza, Spain, in 2008.

Minogue says he didn't know who she was at first, but they were immediately attracted to each other, and fell in love quickly.

"When I looked into Kris' eyes each time we were together, I absolutely knew that he was the man for me. It was that fast," she said.

"For the first time in so long, I was in love again, and everything about it felt right."

Minogue and Smith became parents this year, welcoming son Ethan Edward Smith in July.

She dedicates her biography to her family, and "Kris and Ethan Edward, who are my world".

- AAP