Michelle McManus rose to fame after winning Pop Idol in 2003 when she was aged 23 – and despite huge popularity back then she didn’t see her star status stick around.
After her win McManus released her debut single, All This Time in January 2004 and it soared to No1.
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Her only album to date was released in February 2004 and debuted at No3 on the UK Albums Chart and she later went on to found her own record label, McMannii Records.
The singer, now aged 42, stepped back from music after that because she didn’t feel she fitted the pop star mould.
Michelle previously told the Daily Record she was not accepted for her voice alone, adding: “It wasn’t the right time in 2003, that kind of plus-size acceptance and revolution wasn’t to come until much later on.”
Daily Star takes a look at everything the singing sensation has been doing since hanging up her mic, from getting married and having kids to presenting various TV shows.
TV presenting career
In 2006, McManus started a presenting career when she began guest-hosting in Scottish radio station Clyde 1, before securing her own regular Saturday show on it.
McManus then hosted two series of the BBC Radio Scotland show titled Let’s Do The Show Right Here.
She also worked on television – announcing the Scottish votes during the Making Your Mind Up 2006 programme in March 2006, and in November 2006 she was a reporter on Children in Need live from Scotland.
In 2007 she made two appearances ITV show Loose Women and between 2009 to 2012 presented Scottish lifestyle programme The Hour.
McManus also hosted BBC Radio Scotland show Our Lives in July 2020.
Family life
Mcmanus married her husband Jeff Nimmo at a lavish ceremony in Mallaig, Lochaber in 2017 after a two-year romance.
Jeff popped the question when they went on holiday to the Canary Isles.
Michelle wrote on Facebook at the time: “Just back from the most incredible week of my life in Tenerife.
“The sun shone, the cocktails flowed and my darling Jeff got down on one knee and asked me to marry him!”
Since then, the pair have welcomed two children, Nicholas and Harry.
After Nicholas was born in February this year, Michelle wrote Instagram: “Goodbye January! Although I don’t know how any other month this year could top you as you’re the month we welcomed the newest addition to our family.
“Please say hello to Nicholas Peter Nimmo.”
She added: “You are so perfect in every way and we’re just so madly in love with you. Thank you for completing our family and our world. Love Mummy, daddy and Harry.”
The pregnancy did not go entirely smoothly, as Michelle tested positive for Covid in December, but she recovered and gave birth to a healthy baby.
Discussing her illness at the time, she said she was “so very grateful” to have been been double jabbed.
Recent stage appearances
In recent years the singer has made sporadic returns to music.
In September 2012, she sang on the single by Mànran, Take You There – which was the official track of the STV Children’s Appeal, which reached No70 on the Scottish Singles Chart.
McManus also performed her one-woman shows at the Edinburgh Festival and from 2013 to 2017, she performed in Musicals and Reloaded in Scotland and Northern England.
McManus sang two songs at the funeral of Manchester bombing victim Martyn Hett on June 30, 2017.
She later recorded version of We All Stand Together along with Choirs with Purpose – which raised cash for victims of the sickening incident.
Michelle also took on the role of Chieftain at the Mallaig & Morar Highland Games in Scotland in August.
Her last performance was in October at signing for Rylan Clarke Neal’s latest book, where she a duet with the star..
Michelle, 42, took to the stage to interview the former X Factor star before they belted out Michelle’s hit All This Time.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk