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 made her first DVD, Michelle McManus – The Life Plan”,


Michelle’s artistic career is booming. She has hosted her own Saturday night radio show on the top rated independent station in Scotland – Radio Clyde and has her own series - ‘Let’s Do The Show Right Here’ - on BBC Radio Scotland. In June 2006 she received rave reviews for her appearance in the “Vagina Monologues” at the Millennium Theatre in Derry and she has just finished a successful Edinburgh Festival run of ‘Discotivity’, a musical version of the biblical nativity story, in which she played an all-singing, all-dancing Virgin Mary! She also recently made a guest appearance in ‘Still Game’ (BBC2).

Michelle has been in the studio working on her long-awaited new album. A dance track from the album, entitled ‘Just For You’ was released in November 2007 and is currently enjoying great success in the clubs.

She will be touring as Sadie in 'Little Voice' in the Far East and Colombo at the beginning of 2008.