Myleene Klass claims ITV hit Popstars was 'unregulated' and 'scandalous' as she recalls finding a microphone secretly hidden in a teapot

Myleene Klass has claimed Popstars was 'unregulated' and 'scandalous' during her time on the ITV show.

The singer, 46, recalled finding a 'microphone secretly hidden in a teapot' at one point.

The 2001 reality show followed aspiring singers in a documentary-style series as they competed to impress judges 'Nasty' Nigel Lythgoe, Nicki Chapman and Paul Adam and be selected to form a pop group.

The winners of the series - Danny Foster, Myleene, Kym Marsh, Suzanne Shaw and Noel Sullivan - went on to form the chart topping group Hear'Say.

Speaking on Tia Kofi's podcast The Final FronTia, Mylenne said: 'Honestly, I've been in a pop band, there is nothing you can levy in my direction that I can't take. I've heard it all. I come from a reality show that was unregulated. 

'They'd never been anything like it. I remember finding a teapot that had a microphone in it and we were outraged. They're listening to us. They were just trying to wire us up for sound and keep it looking real. 

'But at the time, it was scandalous. I look at the things that people complain about or take issue with now, and I'm like, God I should have taken more issue because this was happening hourly to us.'

MailOnline has contacted ITV for a comment. 

She added: 'In my Hear'Say diaries there's stuff that is redacted, or there are certain names that we give people. 

'There was one person who was known as Mr. Tickle, because they had long reaching arms. 

'I'll let you fill in the gaps. But you know, it's no surprise to me now that all of the secrets and all of the people are beginning to be exposed. You can see it unravelling.

'I'm not frightened of using a voice now, which I didn't have a long time ago. I'm a mum now of three and I've earned my stripes. You just get ballsy. All of that makes you fearless. 

'I don't care what people think, and it's a really liberating place to be in, because then you can call the shots. It's actually quite fun calling it out, because you can then affect change. 

'And then someone gives you an MBE for affecting that change, and then you can affect more change. 

'It's not about pulling up the ladder up behind you. It's about extending it down and going 'come on', because it's really lonely.'

Hear'Say, which also included Noel Sullivan and Danny Foster, formed on ITV show Popstars in 2001 and found success with their number one hit Pure and Simple. 

The group were later joined by Johnny Shentall after Kym left the band in early 2002.

Hear'Say's first album Popstars was a huge hit but their success quickly dwindled by the time they released their second album Everybody.

They split up in October 2002, less than two years after being put together on Popstars and cited 'abuse from the public' at the time as the primary reason behind the breakup.