Popstar Michelle Heaton has received widespread praise after appearing on TV in a low-rise bikini to reveal her hysterectomy scars for the first time.
Wearing just a blue bikini and gold heels, Michelle was visibly shaking as she was physically supported by Loose Woman panellist Ruth Langsford for her live reveal.
The segment was part of the Loose Women #MyBodyStory body positivity campaign, which has seenm many of the hosts and regular guests of the show bare their bodies in the name of confidence and self-esteem.
Michelle said that she had 'originally said no' to appearing on the show in this context, but that her 'whole thing is about trying to get women to be more confident and comfortable in their own body, and be who we want to be.'
'So I thought, "If I don't do it, who am I to give advice to other people?"'
Michelle took the brave decision to have the operation after the birth of her son in 2014. She had been diagnosed with the BRCA2 cancer gene when she was 33, which meant she had an 85% chance of developing breast cancer and higher than average chance of developing ovarian cancer.
She underwent a double mastectomy in 2012, but she wanted to wait until she had given birth for the second time before the hysterectomy.
Speaking to Reveal magazine last year, Michelle admitted that she was going through an early menopause following the surgery, and expected it to last at least ten years.
She said at the time: 'I'll be going through menopause until my body is at a natural age where I would have gone through it. It's really tough knowing I've still got such a long road ahead. Emotionally, there are good days and bad days. I have hormone replacement injections every six months.'
'I couldn't risk my children being without a mum.'
As well as the scars from her hysterectomy and double mastectomy, Michelle also pointed out the scars on her bum from the hormone injections, which she takes to alleviate the symptoms of menopause.
She explained that she always normally wears high-waisted bikinis to the beach, and that her scars were typically only between her and her husband, so appearing on the segment was really a brave move.
She was praised by co-hosts and Twitter alike, and back at the Loose Women table (fully clothed) after the shot she admitted she'd found the experience 'invigorating'.
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