'I COULD DO MY TED TALK ON LATEX. IT'S SURPRISINGLY COMFORTABLE'

Kylie Minogue is the gift that simply keeps on giving - she talks about wrapping up a family Christmas, memorable New Years in London and her risqué new festive music

- INTERVIEW BY SOPHIE HEAWOOD

I've long harboured a suspicion that stars who do loads of Christmas stuff can't be bothered with it all when they get home. December 25 rolls around and they're too knackered to even sprinkle some salt on a roast potato. Would they even know how? Kylie Minogue has just turned on the Christmas lights at Battersea Power Station, is about to launch a 10-year anniversary version of her Christmas classics album, with four new seasonal songs, and will perform at the Jingle Bell Ball in London. In fact she's been a festive fixture for so long that I have to ask: has she ever actually cooked a turkey?

"I've never cooked a turkey," she admits, quietly, "though I have roasted other things. But, ha, erm, I'm not a natural. It's not my natural habitat, no."

She will be spending Christmas this year with her whole family back home in Melbourne, Australia, "and my brother and sister are very..." she pauses... "you know." Another pause. "They are very... present in the kitchen."

Speaking as someone whose relatives are also very... present in the kitchen at Christmas, I know exactly what she means, and neither of us have used the word controlling, so that's good.

"I'm there, I'm sous chef and I'm available for anything that needs doing," Kylie continues, "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!

"And then I think we're secretly all - or not even so secretly - just excited about Boxing Day. That's when the relief kicks in. I mean we can literally string a leftover ham out for God knows how many days. But there are so many stages to Christmas, and I'd rather put my hand up for the wrapping." Now you're talking - does she do those tight hospital corners like chambermaids with the sheets but with the paper?