Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan reunite after 23 years

LONDON - Agence France-Presse

Singers Kylie Minogue in the arms of Jason Donovan during their performance during the Hit Factory Live Christmas Cracker concert, at the O2 arena in London, Friday Dec. 21, 2012. AP Photo

Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan were reunited on stage for the first time in 23 years on Friday as the Australian pair duetted on their 1988 smash hit "Especially For You" at a show in London.
 
"How long have you waited for this for?" Minogue asked as they sang together at the 20,000-seater O2 Arena, which erupted in rapturous applause.
 
During a musical interlude, Donovan swept Minogue -- dressed in a short black dress -- off her feet in a heartfelt embrace.
 
The duet sold more than a million copies in Britain alone and topped the charts across Europe and Australasia.
 
Donovan and Minogue won popularity as on-screen couple Scott and Charlene in the Australian soap opera "Neighbours" in the late 1980s and were secretly a real-life item at the same time -- but their romance did not last.
 
Minogue went on to a stellar global pop career, while Donovan still performs as an actor and musician.
 
Now both 44, the pair were joined by 1980s and 1990s pop stars Rick Astley, Bananarama, Sinitta and Steps among others for the Hit Factory Live -- Christmas Cracker show.
 
The concert celebrated the Stock Aitken Waterman songwriting and production team, which created a string of hits for various singers.
 
The show had been due to take place in London's Hyde Park in July but was cancelled due to torrential rain.