‘Really awful news:’ Melbourne radio host and world renowned Kylie Minogue impersonator reveals horror health diagnosis

A beloved breakfast radio host who is also Australia’s best known Kylie Minogue tribute artist has opened up about her heartbreaking health diagnosis after battling “extraordinary” pain.

A beloved breakfast radio host who is also Australia’s best known Kylie Minogue tribute artist has made the heartbreaking revelation that she will have to have her jaw joint replaced in the coming years and is living with chronic pain.

Lucy Holmes, who co-hosts breakfast on Melbourne’s 89.9 TheLight and performs as 100% Kylie, has bravely opened up about her shock health diagnosis as she forges on with her successful signing and broadcasting career.

“Late last year I felt a funny pop in my jaw,” Holmes told TheLight listeners this week.

“I have always had jaw issues, it has always dislocated, but I have never had any pain and I felt a funny pop. My pain on that side of my jaw increased exponentially over a period of time.”

With the pain escalating to “extraordinary” levels, Holmes underwent tests.

“I ended up having an MRI on my jaw because I was in extraordinary pain and it showed that I have degenerative arthritis in both sides of my jaw,” she said in an emotional conversation on the Lucy and Kel show podcast.

Lucy Holmes and Kel McWilliam host the 89.9 TheLight breakfast show. Picture: Instagram/supplied

“Now, for someone whose jaw is their whole career as a radio host and a singer this was really awful, awful news.

“We have little discs in our jaw and the disc on my left side has flipped out and is irreparable and the jaw joints are misshaped and there is nothing that can be done about this.

“I have been seeing one of the best surgeons in Melbourne …. I have been told I will have to have my jaw joint replaced in the coming years and the goal is to push that off as long as possible because technology changes so rapidly with jaws.”

Holmes said her diagnosis had not affected her singing.

Holmes is also Australia’s best known Kylie Minogue tribute artist. Picture: David Caird

“Incredibly singing is not as bad as when I have to talk for hours and hours and hours on end,” she said.

“ …. it hurts to talk, my jaw gets very tired after four hours on radio, I am in a lot of pain 24/7 and none of the pain relief has touched it at all – the disc won’t go back in.

“The jaw joints will keep deteriorating because of the arthritis in them.”

Holmes on Saturday told the Sunday Herald Sun her diagnosis was not career ending, but needed to be managed every day.

“I’m grateful to have an incredible team of specialists supporting me going forward,” Holmes said.

Holmes will continue to forge ahead with her career. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

“It’s not the end of my career. 100% Kylie is having one of our busiest years in its 24-year history, with lots of international shows coming up, so I’m really thankful I can continue singing and performing, and, of course, broadcasting. My absolute loves.

“If being open about it helps others feel seen or more comfortable sharing their own health challenges, then that’s a really positive outcome.”

Holmes, who has been on TheLight for 17 years, said she was adapting to the pain of her deteriorating jaw.

“Sometimes I stumble over my words because my jaw will not move as well as it should, sometimes I feel like I am talking weird because of my jaw, but I am hoping that it has not been too obvious to the listeners,” she said.

“The hardest part is the mental side of it all, because I am looking down a life of just trying to manage this as it is part of my career.”