POP Idol winners Will Young and Michelle McManus shared an emotional moment after revealing their very different experiences of the hit reality show. Will , 45, who won the first series in 2002, apologised to Michelle , 44, after revealing she endured heartache the following year when she became the second and final champion of the iconic TV contest. 2 Michelle has bravely spoken out.
2 Will said sorry to Michelle after hearing her story. Credit: PA Pop Idol ran for two series from 2001 to 2003 and was fronted by fresh-faced duo Ant and Dec as well as judges Simon Cowell , Nicki Chapman, Neil Fox and Pete Waterman. The Glaswegian singer opened up on her struggles during a heartfelt discussion on BBC Sounds' The Afternoon Show.
She said: "It was quite a misogynistic time for me being a woman and overweight and I had to live up your success as well, which I never really did. "There were things that weren't okay about that time. Although we both won the same show, we probably both had completely different experiences of it.
" READ MORE IN SHOWBIZ WEIGH TO GO Michelle McManus is slimmer than ever as she reveals 9st weight loss BACKSTAGE CLASH Michelle McManus reveals secret feud with Pop Idol star 20 years after show Will went on to land four number one albums and later took up acting as his career soared. While Michelle made history when she became the first Scottish female artist to debut atop the UK Singles Chart and then transitioned into TV presenting. After learning of her Pop Idol experience, Will said: "I think I was so lucky that the show was so naive and by the time people like yourself got to it people knew what money they could make.
"I'm really sorry if you ever felt isolated and sorry we didn't get to meet. Most read in Showbiz RITA PHWOARA Rita Ora shows off her figure in thong bikini as she holidays with pals CLOSED OFF BBC stars told ‘DON’T contact Jermaine Jenas’ as probe ‘shrouded in secrecy’ THE GONE SHOW Jermaine Jenas probe prompted other women to come forward with complaints JENAS SACKING Jermaine Jenas 'not happy' that BBC sacked him over 'unsolicited texts' "If i could have offered support and I didn't, I'm really sorry about that." But Michelle was quick to say that Will had nothing to say sorry for.
Michelle McManus reveals secret feud with Pop Idol co-star 20 years after show She added: "We never met but you were somebody I greatly looked up to because you were the only person on the planet that had any idea of what that time was like." Meanwhile, Michelle has also opened up on a bitter feud two decades after finding fame on Pop Idol. The musician told a BBC documentary how judge Pete Waterman took "issue" to her because of her size.
The record producer, 76, famously took a swipe at Michelle during her first audition and said: "I think you are not a Pop Idol. "You will never be a pop idol, that's my opinion." Commenting on the feud, Michelle said: "Pete Waterman stormed off the minute I won, he didn't even stay for my performance.
"He ripped his mic off and stormed out of the studio. "Pete Waterman had an issue with me right from the beginning. Read more on the Scottish Sun MORAY MANIA Cops called amid huge queues as fizzy drink re-launch causes chaos MURRAY MAKEOVER Andy Murray hit with fresh warning over renovations at luxury Cromlix hotel "Pete came from a world where it was Sonia and Kylie and all these really beautiful people and then you had someone like me.
"I tried to laugh it off at the time but that broke my heart.".
