Pop Idol legend looks unrecognisable as she poses with Gareth Gates 22 years after talent show

HER big voice powered her to Pop Idol glory back in 2003 - a year after Gareth Gates lost out to Will Young.

And yesterday Michelle McManus, 44, and Gareth, 40, reminisced on old times more than two decades after their talent show glory.

Now a BBC radio presenter, Michelle wrote on Instagram: "Just a couple of Pop Idols hanging out @bbcradioscot. I had the pleasure of chatting to the truly lovely and incredibly talented @gareth_gates on my show today. He’s bringing 2 fantastic shows to Scotland this year."

Gareth commented: "So lovely to see you."

Broadcaster Kate Thornton wrote: "Love this x."

Michelle's vibrant new look is bold and cool, with her red hair totally different to her sleek brunette 'do in the early noughties.

Last year Michelle revealed she'd lost an incredible nine stone in weight in less than two years.

She shared a touching post showing pictures before and after her dramatic body transformation.

In the first photo, taken at the end of 2022, the red-haired presenter smiled in a black dress and green blazer.

The second shot showed her in a stylish, fitted bright green dress.

She wrote: "Sometimes it’s okay to stop and take stock of what you’ve achieved.

"For the past year or so I’ve been making changes in my life to help me reach the place in which I now find myself. Happily, it is a place of good health and contentment.

"I love both versions of myself in the above two photos.

"The image on the left was taken in late 2022, eight months after I’d given birth to my second beautiful baby and I’d just started a new job presenting The Afternoon Show on @bbcradioscot.

"Even though life was going great for me, at the time I was very tired both physically and mentally.

"If I’m honest, I was also struggling with my fitness - caring for two babies under three was my priority and working on myself was not something I had dedicated time to considering, let alone doing."

A lower number on the scales wasn't the ultimate goal though, rather Michelle sought an improved sense of wellbeing.

She continued: "Someone introduced me to a great quote recently that really resonated with me: 'The only lifelong relationship we’ll ever have is the one with ourselves'.

"It is something I’ve learned too, loving yourself and feeling self-worth is so important.

"It’s taken me such a long time to understand that, but thankfully now, at 44 years old, I finally get it, and perhaps that is the biggest and best transformation of all."

The Scot singer shot to fame on the 2003 series of Pop Idol and topped the charts with her debut single, All This Time.

On the talent hunt show, Michelle faced fierce criticism from record producer judge Pete Waterman, 76, over her weight.

The veteran music man bluntly said: "I think you are not a Pop Idol."

Commenting on the feud, Michelle said: "Pete Waterman had an issue with me right from the beginning."

While her pop career was short-lived, she did earn a number one album in her home country, with The Meaning of Love also making it to number 3 in the bigger UK chart.