Michelle McManus has extended her thanks to the public as she marks 14 years - to the day - that her life changed forever.

The former Pop Idol winner shared an emotional post on her social media pages today.

Taking to Twitter, she shared a video clip of the moment a baby-faced Ant and Dec announced she had won Pop Idol back in 2003.

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Michelle, 37, wrote: “So 14 years ago today I was standing on a stage, hoping and praying that @antanddec would call out my name. Thank you to every single person who picked up the phone that night, you literally changed my life forever. Thank you  #Popidol #AllThisTime.”

“I still remember voting loads of times for you and praying that you would win!  We celebrated by going to our local for a karaoke!  You’re still a winner to us,” replied one fan.

Glasgow Times:
Ant and Dec, then and now

Another replied: “Is it too late to say congratulations. I don’t think twitter was around in those days, to have said it back in 2003.”

Her winning single, All This Time, shot to number one and stayed at the top spot for three weeks.

Her debut album, The Meaning of Love, received a less-than-lukewarm reception, but managed to make it to number three in the UK charts.

Michelle was eventually was dropped by record label BMG shortly after.

Last year, Michelle admitted the focus on her weight was difficult to deal with while she competed on the singing show.

The singer said she struggled with all the attention on her appearance.

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Speaking to Lorraine Kelly, she said: “It was difficult, everybody wants to lose weight, everybody wants to look the best they can look.

“At the time I was only 24 years old, I had never been to London in my life, it was mad.

“The weight thing was such a big deal and I’ve been up and down and I’ve lost weight and gained weight and it will always be a part of me, even if I was to lose all the weight and be a skinny minnie, it would still somehow be there.”