Lesley Garrett: 'I want a smaller bust'

Opera star Lesley Garrett has claimed that she is trying to lose weight to reduce her bust size.

The 55-year-old, who will take part in new ITV1 reality show 71 Degrees North later this year, said that her top-heavy figure has started to cause back pains and makes it hard to buy clothes.

"I'm small-framed and ten-and-a-half stone - that's so big for me," she told Yours magazine. "Ideally, I'd like to be just under nine stone."

Speaking about her weight loss on Strictly Come Dancing six years ago, she added: "I was so slim and fit then - even my bust shrank - which was great because it meant I could get clothes to fit me for once.

"At the moment many of my clothes have to be made because, ahem, I am rather top heavy. So many women want a big bust but I wish I was smaller. Apart from the clothes issue, I get backache because of it."

However, the soprano ruled out the prospect of going under the knife for a breast reduction, saying: "I'd never have a breast reduction, though I've had a bit of Botox on my face - everyone has - but I couldn't bring myself to have a general anaesthetic and go under the knife unless it was on medical grounds."