Former X Factor contestant Monica Michael stunned viewers when she showed off her dramatic weight loss on This Morning.

The singer – who was in the TV competition in both 2014 and 2015 – is now virtually unrecognisable after shedding more than five stone with the help of a gastric band.

Monica Michael on This Morning (Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
Monica Michael on This Morning (Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

As she showed off her svelte new shape in a fitted black outfit, Eamonn Holmes even suggested she could now be the twin of X Factor judge Nicole Scherzinger.

Monica, 26, explained to Eamonn and Ruth Langsford that she had long battled her weight but that it had crept up to more than 15 stone.

She reached the point where she didn’t feel “right”, so decided to take action and have the band fitted.

“I went and got it done privately and for me it was the best thing I’ve ever done,” she said.

Monica has also been showing off her new figure on Instagram in recent weeks, where fans have been bowled over by her new look.

One gushed: “Monica how have you lost all your weight you look AMAZING x.”

Another wrote: “Wow monica.weight loss is incredible. u really look amazing.”