Dannii Minogue's first husband left her in "a lot of debt".

The singer-turned-reality show judge has revealed how her union with actor Julian McMahon back in 1994 - when she was in her early 20s - left her in huge financial problems after she became the main earner in the relationship and was left supporting them both.

She explained on BBC Radio 2: "I was not only broke, I was in debt, a lot of debt.

"I had been very good with my finances up until the point where I got married. I was living in London and working in London. My fiance and then husband was living and working In America, but he had only just started working there and I was financing both of our living costs in both countries at 22. London and New York are expensive cities, we had nice things. And then every two weeks I flew back and forth, so that I could see him, get back to work, earn some more money, get back there again."

The 39-year-old TV beauty - who gave birth to her first child, son Ethan, with partner Kris Smith back in July - had hoped Julian would eventually help her out financially, but their money problems escalated and they divorced less than two years later.

She explained: "It was tight to keep that all going. Obviously I thought that once his career takes off and he's doing well, he'd put some money into the pot. But that was a silly thought wasn't it! Anyway, you're young and you're silly and I only blame myself for that. But what do you do when you're in love with someone, you want to be with them, he's got a chance of having a career there, I'm trying to keep things going in London. You do your best at the time."

Dannii's financial worries are now in the past and she is hoping to never be in that situation again.

She added: "I'm just trying not to stuff it up again. Hopefully I learnt the first time."