Michelle Heaton thrilled by CBB reaction

Michelle Heaton has credited Celebrity Big Brother for changing the public perception of her personality.

The former Liberty X star claimed that female viewers warmed to her when they watched her clashes with Coolio on the Channel 4 reality show.

"Apart from the money, I wanted people to see me in a new light," Heaton told Take 5 magazine.

"People saw my vulnerable side. It's impossible not to be yourself in there. You can try to lie low for a while but after a few minutes you realise there's no point. Coolio latched on to me to be his little prisoner anyway."

She added: "It's funny because when I was in Liberty X, I'd get recognised but people didn't approach me. I got the feeling they thought I was stuck up. Now women come up and say: 'You're just like me. That's how I would have reacted'."

Heaton recently announced that she is giving up on her singing career.