Will Young expressed his regret to Michelle McManus after she opened up about her Pop Idol woes.

The Leave Right Now singer was the first winner of the talent series in 2002, while Glaswegian star Michelle won the second series the following year.

But as the pair reflected on their very different experiences, Will expressed his regret that he didn't reach out to Michelle. 

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The All This Time hitmaker opened up on her struggles during a heartfelt discussion on BBC Sounds' The Afternoon Show, the Scottish Sun reports.

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."

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Will responded: "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.

"If I could have offered support and I didn't, I'm really sorry about that."

Michelle immediately replied that Will had nothing to say sorry for.

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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."

Will went on to release four UK number 1 albums, won two BRIT Awards and embarked on a successful acting career on stage, television and film. 

Michelle's debut album The Meaning of Love charted at number 1 on the Scottish Albums Chart and she founded her own record label, McManni Records.

Before taking on her presenting role in the Afternoon Show she featured in the STV lifestyle show The Hour.