14 April 2006
DailyRecord
By Karen Bale
SLIMMED down Pop Idol winner Michelle McManus has had her hopes of a starring role in West End musical Chicago dashed.
The Glasgow singer, who shed eight stone to drop five dress sizes, auditioned for the part of Mama Morton in the hit stage production.
But she was devastated when x Factor semi-finalist Brenda Edwards was chosen instead.
A source said: "Michelle had pinned all her hopes on getting the role of Mama Morton. She thought she was perfect for it.
"Michelle had been practising the songs and everything.
"But, by the summer, she's hoping to have landed a starring role in another West End show.
"Michelle would love to be on the stage. She would be in her element. She's trying not to let this knock get her down - but it's hard when she had her heart set on it."
Michelle, 25, who once weighed in at 22 stone, was invited to audition for a part in one of Andrew Lloyd Webber's West End productions in February.
She had talks with the casting directors behind musicals Chicago, Hairspray, Wicked and Mamma Mia.
The source added: "Although she's upset, she is very ambitious and won't give up easily. Hairspray is coming over to London from Broadway and Michelle is hoping to audition for that too.
"She is confident there's a role out there for her."
Soul singer Brenda, 36, won the Mama Morton role last week.
She is expected to sign up for the part soon.
Brenda will follow Gaby Roslin and Alison Moyet as the jailer at the prison where heroine Roxie Hart is held.
Hip hop star Queen Latifah, 36, played Mama Morton in the 2002 Hollywood film version.
Show-stopping songs sung by the character include When You're Good To Mama.
Michelle, who is now based in London, currently has her own radio show on Clyde 1 every Saturday night.
Last June, more than four million viewers watched her appearance on You Are What You Eat with Gillian McKeith.
A follow-up show was screened in December and the singer's book, You Are What You Eat: Michelle's Diary, with McKeith, has been flying off the shelves.
FACTFILE
MICHELLE
POP Idol winner Michelle McManus is now 14 stone after shedding eight stone and five dress sizes.
She plans to shed another four stone and get a tummy tuck.
Michelle, 25, won Pop Idol II in 2003.
Her debut single, All This Time, topped the charts for three weeks and her album, The Meaning Of Love, reached No 3.
But the title track limped into the charts at No 16 and she left 19 Management in 2005.
She hopes to release a new single, Breaking Free, this spring.
BRENDA
X FACTOR semi-finalist Brenda Edwards is now 13 stone after shedding a stone and a half while filming the reality TV show.
The 36-year-old mum-of-two performed Nilsson's Without You and Aretha Franklin's Respect on the show.
But Brenda claims she was booted off because she lacked sex appeal.
Her mentor Sharon Osbourne has promised she is destined for chart success and Brendais hoping to clinch a record deal.
