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 Bright,
determined, confident and hugely talented,
Michelle took the record industry by storm
when, against the odds, she won Pop Idol on
the 20th December 2003 with in
excess of 6.5 million votes.
Her
first single, ‘All This Time’, released 12th
January 2004, was number 1 for three weeks and
was the second biggest selling British single
of 2004 (Band Aid being number 1). Michelle
was the first Scottish female to debut at
number 1 and ‘All This Time’ was nominated
for an Ivor Novello Award in 2004. Her album ‘The Meaning of Love’ released in February 2004
was also hugely successful.
Not
bad for a Glaswegian lass who, before entering
Pop Idol, was an Events Manager for Marriott
Hotels in Glasgow. She’d always loved
singing and entertaining and had a dream
growing up to becoming a professional singer
and performer, but like most young people put
the dream on hold to earn a living. Up until
that fateful day when she attended the Pop
Idol auditions, her performing experience was
limited to school plays, a year attending the
Youth Works Drama Group at the Royal Scottish
Academy of Music and Drama (1993-94) and
performing in a variety show with Scottish
comedian and actor Andy Cameron at the
Pavilion Theatre, Glasgow in 1997.
By
the end of 2004, at only five foot two inches,
Michelle weighed a huge twenty two stone. She
decided enough was enough, and agreed to take
part in the television programme ‘You Are
What You Eat’.
She bravely overhauled her entire
approach to food and fitness, transforming
herself in the process.
The
first documentary was broadcast in 2005 and
the show revisited Michelle in December 2005
when she was eight stone lighter.
The first programme was the highest
rated ‘You Are What You Eat’ episode ever
with 4.6 million viewers (a 23% audience
share) and the follow up programme (broadcast
just before Christmas in 2005) achieved a
similar audience. She had become an
inspiration to woman all over the country. To
coincide with the broadcast Michelle published
her diary “Michelle’s Diary”. and in
2006 she is filming her first DVD, Michelle
McManus – The Life Plan”, which will be on
sale at the end of the year.
Michelle’s
artistic career is booming. She is currently
in the studio working on her new album and is
hosting her own Saturday night radio show on
the top rated independent station in Scotland
– Radio Clyde. She will also be presenting a
documentary series on BBC Radio Scotland. In
June 2006 she received great reviews for her
appearance in the “Vagina Monologues” at
the Millennium Theatre in Derry and there are
plans for more theatre work as well as TV
presenting.
www.michelleofficial.co.uk |
