Noughties popstar signs up for Celebrity Masterchef in TV comeback after cancer scare and alcoholism battle
A NOUGHTIES popstar who battled her high-profile booze demons has signed up for Celebrity MasterChef.
The Thinking It Over hitmaker, 45, will make her telly comeback on the BBC series, with her focus being "healthy eating" which "can be delicious."
The Sun can now exclusively reveal how Michelle Heaton, who first found fame in Popstars: The Rivals band Liberty X, will now swap microphones for mixing bowls.
A TV insider revealed to us: “Michelle has had a couple of years away from reality TV, since she did Dancing on Ice and Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins in 2023, but when she was asked to do Celebrity Masterchef, she couldn’t turn it down.
"She’s a big fan of the show.
"As a personal trainer, she’s also really into healthy eating and wants to show the public that food can be delicious and still really good for you."
READ MORE CELEB MASTERCHEF
Her latest telly stint comes after we told how a Coronation Street actress had signed up after being killed off on the ITV soap.
The duo will appear alongside Blue singer Antony Costa, Love Island beauty Uma Jammeh and RuPaul’s Drag Race star Ginger Johnson when the hit BBC One show returns later this year.
Food critic Grace Dent has joined John Torode to host the show after taking over from Greg Wallace.
The show is expected to air in the coming months.
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CANCER THREAT
Michelle has endured a rough decade of late.
After discovering she carried the BRCA-2 gene in 2012, putting her at high risk of breast and ovarian cancer, she underwent a double mastectomy and breast reconstruction as well as a total hysterectomy, which put her into early menopause.
Michelle then had a second boob job when her implants ruptured.
At the time, she said: “When I had my first surgery, they took away all the flesh inside to eradicate my 85 per cent risk of breast cancer.
"My grandma and great-grandma both died of breast cancer.
“I feel so lucky that I was able to reduce the risk to minimal and still have breasts.
Celebrity Masterchef Previous Winners
The previous Celebrity Masterchef winners so far in the show
2023 - Singer Wynne Evans
2022 - Radio Presenter Lisa Snowdon
2021 - Gold-medal-winning Paralympian Kadeena Cox
2020 - YouTube star Riyadh Khalaf
2019 - Olympian Greg Rutherford
2018 - Actor John Partridge
2017 - Television presenter Angellica Bell
2016 - Real Hustle star Alexis Conran
2015 - Pussycat doll Kimberly Wyatt
2014 - Actress Sophie Thompson
2013 - Comedian and actor Ade Edmondson
2012 - Actress Emma Kennedy
2011 - Former England rugby captain Phil Vickery
2010 - Actress and presenter Lisa Faulkner
2009 - Presenter Jayne Middlemiss
2008 - Singer and actress Liz McClarnon
2007 - Actress and presenter Nadia Sawalha
2006 - Rugby star Matt Dawson
"I know not all women are as privileged.”
MICHELLE'S COMEBACK
Michelle previously candidly admitted she "should be dead" following her crippling alcohol addiction, which struck after her surgery.
The Just A Little vocalist hit rock bottom in September 2020 when doctors told her she was close to death from liver failure.
The singer knew she needed help and went on to endure a 28-day stint in The Priory and has since been sober.
In a clip posted to Instagram, to mark in 2024, Michelle spoke to the camera and confessed she was "going to cry" because she was celebrating her birthday by herself.
In the past four years, Michelle, who was drinking two litres of vodka a day at her worst, has been working hard on her health and fitness and has since lost two stone.
The singer celebrated four years of being sober in April this year after kicking a drug and alcohol addiction that almost cost her life.
Now she is focusing on getting in shape and shared snaps from the gym with her social media followers.
In 2023, Michelle told Fabulous magazine: “Giving up alcohol was the best decision I ever made.
“The bottom line is, not drinking alcohol is way better than drinking alcohol.
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“There’s so much research out there that proves just how beneficial it is. Your energy levels improve, you feel happier, fitter and more focused.
“For those who don’t have alcoholic tendencies and only want to take a break, or give it up for a month, I would encourage that. You would never regret it.”
