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Edinburgh Live
Edinburgh Live
Entertainment
Abbie Meehan

Michelle McManus on iconic Edinburgh Fringe venue appearances

Pop Idol 2003 winner Michelle McManus has opened up about her run of shows at Edinburgh's Fringe Festival at iconic venue, The New Town Bar.

The former Pop Idol winner appeared on the Be Honest podcast, hosted by comedians Jojo Sutherland and Bruce Devlin, where she shouted out her Edinburgh Fringe appearances.

On her first appearance at the Fringe in Edinburgh's iconic but now sadly closed gay cruising venue, The New Town Bar, she said: "To be fair on Jimmy (the owner) there was guys that came in in full boiler suits and industrially cleaned the place before we went down because he had to.

READ MORE: Gary Barlow shares Edinburgh hotel snap during five day stay in the capital

"I remember, we only ran from the Monday to Saturday, and on the Friday night after the show all these curtains went up and Jimmy said 'I've got to have the dark room tonight, it's a Friday!' and I went well we've got two shows on tomorrow, and he said he'd give it a quick spray round and it would be fine!"

The Be Honest podcast launched a new series of interviews this week, and is set to feature other stars including BBC's Kaye Adams.

Michelle also spoke about her sobriety journey, saying: "Can you believe I'm two and a half years off it? Not touched it. I mean I never ever thought - I mean I love alcohol. I still love alcohol, it was such a huge part of my life.

"I got to the point where I loved booze but booze didn't love me."

She added: "The decision was taken out of my hands when I fell pregnant with Harry, of course you quit drinking. When I came off the booze and realised how nice Saturday mornings were without being hungover, I never went back on to it.

"I don't know if I ever will, never say never, but I don't know if I ever will."

Michelle also performed at Edinburgh's Fringe Festival back in 2017, at The Place with her debut one-woman show Michelle McManus’s Reality: The Musical.

The show was an upfront take on her life since winning Pop Idol, with show tunes from Chicago to Cabaret, Les Miserables to Chess.

It is unknown if Michelle will be performing at this years Fringe, but the festival will be going ahead from August 5 to August 29 2022.

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