‘I WAS A FAME MONSTER – until I lost it all!'
Woman's Day Australia|October 11, 2021
Nineties TV star Tania Lacy had the world at her feet before one stupid mistake cost her everything
Phillip Koch
‘I WAS A FAME MONSTER – until I lost it all!'

It’s 1987 and everybody is doing the Locomotion with Kylie Minogue. Teenage girls all wanted her big blonde perm, and in a few short years, quite a few of them would also idolise Tania Lacy – the fresh-faced girl dancing in the background of that famous music clip.

But even then Tania was far more than a back-up dancer – the 23-year-old also choreographed Kylie’s Locomotion music video. “It’s still not something I know if I should be proud of,” she quips in her new live-streamed comedy show Catch A Falling Star.

Now 56, Tania’s brilliant return comes after many years out of the limelight, and she pulls no punches in a searing performance that details her rapid rise to fame and terrible descent into heroin addiction and poverty just three years later.

“People say you choose fame – I would say fame definitely chose me,” she says. “Back in the ’80s and ’90s, I had this really awesome job as a famous person. I used to be on the front pages of the newspapers. I had followers, but they were real people. I’m talking real fame.”

FACE IN THE CROWD

To understand how it went so horribly wrong, you have to rewind to the beginning. Just a few months after Locomotion, Molly Meldrum hand-picked Tania out of a crowd of dancers on his legendary ABC music show Countdown and asked her to open the show. She then went on to become a roving reporter on a new Saturday morning show called The Factory.

Tania soon became the standout star for crazy stunts like crashing a Sylvester Stallone press conference, or breaking into Simply Red star Mick Hucknall’s dressing room, or getting Motley Crue to autograph her underwear live on air.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM WOMAN'S DAY AUSTRALIAView all
ANNA SAMSON 'MURDER'S ALWAYS INTRIGUED ME'
Woman's Day Australia

ANNA SAMSON 'MURDER'S ALWAYS INTRIGUED ME'

We hit the set of the sunny spin-off to Death In Paradise and meet the cast!

time-read
2 mins  |
September 16, 2024
5 minutes With...ALEXANDER McCALL SMITH
Woman's Day Australia

5 minutes With...ALEXANDER McCALL SMITH

His No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series has a new instalment

time-read
2 mins  |
September 16, 2024
Rolling the DICE
Woman's Day Australia

Rolling the DICE

Hobart's iconic Wrest Point Hotel Casino is looking better than ever

time-read
2 mins  |
September 16, 2024
UNDERSTANDING PALLIATIVE CARE
Woman's Day Australia

UNDERSTANDING PALLIATIVE CARE

Quality of life is at the forefront of this approach

time-read
3 mins  |
September 16, 2024
OUR TOWN'S A MOVIE STAR!
Woman's Day Australia

OUR TOWN'S A MOVIE STAR!

When Runt arrived in town, locals couldn't wait to play a part!

time-read
3 mins  |
September 16, 2024
ANNA HEINRICH 'I LOVE BEING A GIRL MUM!'
Woman's Day Australia

ANNA HEINRICH 'I LOVE BEING A GIRL MUM!'

The mum-of-two speaks with affection about her daughters

time-read
2 mins  |
September 16, 2024
KEITH TELLS NICOLE I WANT TO BE YOUR NEXT LEADING MAN!'
Woman's Day Australia

KEITH TELLS NICOLE I WANT TO BE YOUR NEXT LEADING MAN!'

He's sick of playing second fiddle to a string of hunky co-stars

time-read
2 mins  |
September 16, 2024
GUY TAKES A STAND 'I WANT JESS BACK!
Woman's Day Australia

GUY TAKES A STAND 'I WANT JESS BACK!

The Voice Australia gets an ultimatum from its number-one coach Guy Sebastian

time-read
2 mins  |
September 16, 2024
THE BRAD & GEORGE SHOW is back!
Woman's Day Australia

THE BRAD & GEORGE SHOW is back!

Their lovable bromance is stealing the spotlight in Venice!

time-read
1 min  |
September 16, 2024
ED SHEERAN'S SHOCK FAMILY FEUD
Woman's Day Australia

ED SHEERAN'S SHOCK FAMILY FEUD

He's often seen as one of the nicest guys in music, but Ed Sheeran's cousin has exposed their secret feud - and claimed that Ed has even made legal threats against him!

time-read
1 min  |
September 16, 2024