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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Joel Leaver

X Factor's 'Tesco' Mary Byrne looks completely different after six stone weight loss

X Factor alum Mary Byrne has shed six stone in recent years, with the semi-finalist undergoing a major transformation since she competed on the ITV series.

The singer, now 62, came fifth in the seventh series of the competition in 2010 - with her having been affectionately dubbed 'Tesco Mary' at the time by fans as she worked for the retailer in Ireland.

It's now been more than a decade since she competed against the likes of One Direction on the show, with Mary almost unrecognisable from the woman on our screens.

The performer herself has admitted that her transformation over the last decade has "shocked" her, with her previously revealing that she has lost a significant amount of weight.

Mary Byrne is almost unrecognisable a decade on from the X Factor (Facebook/ Mary Byrne)

Mary told the the Irish Mirror in 2020 that she reached 21 stone whilst on the show, with her having since lost 6 stone - which she described as "half a person in weight."

The singer - who managed to get her weight down to 15 stone - said at the time: "I looked at the picture of me on the show and me now and I honestly was shocked."

She further commented: "It has happened gradually over the decade [so] I guess I haven't noticed it as much but yes, it is a shocking amount of weight loss."

She was a semi-finalist on the X Factor in 2010 (Ken McKay/Talkback Thames/REX/Shutterstock)
Mary, pictured six months ago, has managed to lose weight since the show (Facebook/ Mary Byrne)

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Mary explained to the outlet that she was motivated to get "healthier and live longer" for her daughter Deborah - who is understood to live with the singer.

Further discussing her motivation, she said that her daughter is the "reason behind it," adding that Deborah is "strict" on her, though Mary said the approach has "worked."

Mary, pictured on the X Factor in 2010, said she weighed 21 stone around that time (Ken McKay/Rex Features)
The singer, pictured with fellow X Factor alums Jedward a few years ago, has since lost six stone (Facebook/ Mary Byrne)

The musician - who has ditched her signature brunette hair for a shorter, blonde hairstyle in recent years - said Deborah wouldn't let her do the shopping as she'd "buy rubbish."

Mary told the outlet that she has suffered with depression, with her stating two years ago that she felt "so good" that she's discussing coming off her anti-depression tablets.

Mary said her daughter was the motivation for becoming 'healthier' (PA / ITV)

She said: "I deal with the problems differently now and the doctor is going to bring me off the tablets slowly and that's all down to the exercise and the healthy lifestyle."

And despite having lost a significant amount of weight, the singer said she hoped to lose two more stone in the future, though she already realised "how far [she's] come."

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