She thought she’d be forever single, but now Dannii Minogue's crazy in love with Kris Smith

She was always the 'other' Minogue in the hearts of the British public. With Kylie firmly established as the nation's favourite, Danni had a tough act to follow. Rightly or wrongly, she came across as a bit harder, a bit too fame hungry... and, well, just not Kylie.

Then, two years ago, Dannii landed a role as a judge on The X Factor, staying firm when Sharon Osbourne walked last year, only to be usurped as the pretty face on the panel by Girls Aloud's Cheryl Cole. Compared to an overly sentimental Cheryl, Dannii came across as cold and unemotional.

This year, something's changed with Ms Minogue.

Dannii used botox to hide her emotions

The sharp bob, softer skin and fierce styling are the obvious amends, but there's something else going on. We couldn't help notice how much more relaxed, giggly and confident Dannii's been on The X Factor.

Could it be because she seems to be winning the style war against Cheryl? Or is it something - or someone - else putting that ear-to-ear, eye-crinkling smile on her face?

It is indeed her new man, Kris Smith, former British rugby league star turned model who, in one word, and with the pun absolutely intended, is totally scrum-ptious.

It's clear the lad is doing everything right. As 37-year-old Ms Minogue chats to Fabulous in her hotel room in the centre of Sydney, she's literally bursting with excitement.

"I'm totally in love," she squeals. "I've never felt like this before and I honestly never, ever, believed this would happen to me. I feel like I'm exploding with happiness.

"My world is a whole new place. This guy has changed me and I just feel like the sun is shining every day. It's amazing! I've found The One."

Oh Dannii... remember to breathe! This is proper stomach-flipping love - and she's got it bad.

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But then she's not fared well in the love stakes. Dannii was married to Nip/Tuck actor Julian McMahon for a year back in 1994. Several failed relationships followed, including an engagement to racing driver Jacques Villeneuve in 1999.

The last time we spoke it was just weeks before Dannii met Kris, 31. Back then, she was still grieving her best friend's death from cancer and helping her sister Kylie recover from breast cancer. She was also single and resigned to a life of all work and no play.

"At the time I remember thinking I had no real reason to complain about my life. I was working, my sister was getting better... I guess I'd ruled out any romance. I honestly never thought it was going to happen," she says.

"I went to my doctor for a check-up and he told me I'd got to the stage of my life where I had to make decisions about having children. I remember thinking: 'Oh God. I'm now that person who is getting too old to have kids.' But I just laughed.

"I told him it wasn't an issue for me because I didn't have a man, there was no one on the horizon, and there probably never would be. My life was so crazy - half the year in London, half the year on the other side of the world doing Australia's Got Talent. I sort of accepted no man could ever fit in with that.

"And then along came Kris and I have to say I am now thinking¿ babies."

Whoa! Wait a minute. Is Dannii, the girl who'd all but written off motherhood, now talking about starting a family?

"It's Kris," she explains with a shrug. "He's so broody. He's younger than me and I'm thinking: 'Oh Lord. I have to sort this out.' I'm totally in a panic about everything - babies, living together, working miles apart. It all seems so complicated but hey -

it's pretty wonderful to have problems caused by being in love."

Loved-up Dannii with Kris

Dannii met Kris in a nightclub in Ibiza. "We both laugh because no one ever meets anyone in a nightclub," she smiles. Dannii was with a male friend and Kris was celebrating his 30th birthday. After hours of "just staring at each other across tables", her friend went over and invited him for a drink.

"We just couldn't take our eyes off each other... It's pretty much the same now," she says.

Phew! Talk about a full-on love-in. Now we have to be really nosy here. There have been newspaper reports that Kris is about to pop the question. So, we have to ask: "What's going on?"

Dannii's face splits into a huge grin. "He was spotted in a jewellers and everyone got excited. He called me and said, really sheepishly: 'I'm sorry babe. I was actually looking at a watch.' I just laughed my head off. It's not true that we're getting engaged but what is true is that we've each found our partner for life and we're working out our future together. "

Such euphoric happiness could not have come at a better time - or to a sweeter girl. The past few years have been pretty tough for Dannii.

Just shy of her 38th birthday ("I know! I can't believe it. I still think I'm 25!"), Dannii is refreshingly open about her life.

She admits she used Botox but claims it was to keep a mask over her inner turmoil, rather than to keep her wrinkles at bay. She says she quit using the face-freezing jab two years ago, and, we have to say, she looks better for it.

Gone is that uber-smooth, expressionless face. She looks fresher and her make-up is more subtle. For once, she looks prettier than her big sis.

"I think it's just reflecting who I am and how I'm feeling right now," she says. "I do feel that I'm in a totally new chapter of my life and that is reflected in how I look.

Dannii with big sister Kylie

"People really laid into me for having a frozen Botox face. I was completely aware of all the jokes and the comments.

"But there was a horrendous period when my sister was very ill and my friend was dying of cancer. It was all so public.

"I'd walk into hospital to see Kylie after she'd had a major operation and as I walked out there would be a satellite trained on my face to relay pictures back for news bulletins. Being a part of that situation was unbelievably intense.

"For me, all my emotions, all my devastation, were written on my face. I could cope with it inside, but I couldn't cope with seeing it and other people seeing it too.

"I wanted to use Botox to hide everything. I didn't want people to see that emotional devastation on my face. For me, so much of it was about hiding."

The last thing Dannii could do was sneak away from the limelight. Her role in The X Factor meant she was, at times, front-page news. Louis Walsh had her in tears on live TV and endless stories about frostiness between her and Cheryl took their toll.

"It was really awful," she shrugs. "Actually, it was horrendous. I kept bursting into tears. I would have walked if that situation had continued."

But it was her new-found beau who helped her cope with the situation. "He calmed me down every night," she says. "But the stress was awful."

This year it's a different story - and a different Dannii. Mentally, she's stronger and more at peace with herself. Physically, she's looking sexier and sassier.

Laughing with new best mate Cheryl last month

"I'm wearing less make-up," she says.

"I guess I was using it as a mask. People tell me I look better and younger with less slap on, but for me it's my armour.

"But the real glow on my face is down to happiness - which you can't get from any make-up, no matter how expensive."

The hair is, however, another story. Dannii laughs: "I had a conditioning treatment that went wrong and my hair started breaking off. My hairdresser told me the only thing he could do was chop it all off!"

Dannii says that the atmosphere on this year's X Factor couldn't be better. Before the series started Louis made a public apology for his treatment of her, and her relationship with Cheryl has blossomed - so much so that Dannii bought her a £2,000 Yves Saint Laurent ring for her birthday in June.

Dannii in tears last year thanks to Louis Walsh

"It's all good," she says. "I think it was really cool of Louis to apologise. I'm now getting to know the funny and sweet Louis everyone else talks about.

"And with Cheryl, to be honest, she was always fine. Last year was hard because so many barriers were put between us. We both tended to shut down and just get on with the job. Now we're all opening up and getting to know each other. Being part of The X Factor is actually a joy."

Even Kylie's getting in on the act. The sisters are just back from Dubai where Kylie has helped Dannii select the three acts from the under-25s girls category to go forward to the live shows.

It wasn't all work - the pair also got a chance to kick back and reflect on how loved-up they both are. Will there be a double Minogue wedding sometime soon? We'll have to wait and see.

"Kylie's really happy for me," Dannii admits. "She's met Kris and loves him. He's been introduced to all the Minogues. Likewise Andrés [Velencoso - Kylie's model boyfriend of a year]. He's a honey and she's very happy. We're both changing our work-life balance and everything is good."

Dannii with toyboy Kris

Last week, Dannii cancelled everything to spend time with Kris in Australia.

"It actually hurts when I'm not with Kris. I've never felt like this before," she admits.

"The irony is that he was living in the UK and only flew out with me to Australia for a few weeks, but within a matter of days, he'd secured a big modelling contract. So now I'm going back to the UK on my own. I honestly don't know how I'm going to get through two months without him."

She admits her most nerve-wracking moment was meeting Kris' parents in their Manchester home.

"I was terrified," she confesses. "I felt I was dragging their boy into a world of madness. I was older than him, Australian¿ but his parents couldn't be sweeter.

"Kris is an amazing guy. He keeps me calm, he makes me feel beautiful, he makes me laugh, and every second with him counts. He also loves my bum which is amazing when you're coming up to 40! My favourite part of him is his arms - they're so big and strong and I love being wrapped up in them."

Oh my goodness... this is a woman who's totally smitten.

Then Dannii pauses. Very soon, she's about to face weeks without him. "If anyone sings an emotional love song on the show I'm going to have a meltdown," she says. "Nothing is going to hide that. I'll miss him so much. But at least it's a better reason to have tears."

Too right, Dannii.

SO DANNII, HAVE YOU EVER...

Googled yourself? Once but never again. You only upset yourself.

Been arrested? I've been deported. I went to France to do a job for Disney but my visa had run out and I was sent straight back home.

Pretended to be someone else to avoid someone? Lots of occasions someone will say to me: "Hey, are you Dannii Minogue?" There have been times when I just reply: "I get that a lot!" Every time the response is: "Yeah. She's way taller than you."

Stolen something? I've never stolen something from a shop but I think you can steal a heart. I have a heart that I've stolen right now!

Looked up an ex on Facebook or Google? Never. But I once realised I was standing under a giant poster of my ex-husband Julian. It was a huge picture of him promoting Nip/Tuck. It felt really weird to see him staring down at me, but then I just burst out laughing because it was so surreal.

Read Dannii's blog at Danniiminogueofficial.blogspot.com and see her every weekend on The X Factor on ITV1.

DANNII WEARS (PREVIOUS PAGE): DRESS, J'ATON COUTURE; RING, LANVIN; HOLD-UPS, ATSUKO KUDO (THIS PAGE) DRESS, J'ATON COUTURE; BERET, ATSUKO KUDO; RING, AS BEFORE; HOLD-UPS, AS BEFORE PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES, NEWS PICS, REX, WENN, CAMERA PRESS HAIR: CHRIS COONROD MAKE-UP: JUSTINE PURDUE, BOTH AT THE NAMES AGENCY NAILS: FIONA HAY AT VALONZ STYLING: ANGIE SMITH (ANGIESMITH.CO.UK)

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