A retail manager who is gaga for Lady Gaga is to embark on a new career as her impersonator.

Louise Birchmore, 23, won Sky Living's Bigger than Lady Gaga, a show which puts Gaga fans on a strict fitness and weight loss regime for eight weeks, while teaching them dance routines and how to be Lady Gaga.

The contestants are then made to look like their idol undergoing make-up, hair and styling, before performing as the singer in front of the judges, in a competition to secure a contract as a professional Gaga look-a-like with a top UK agency.

Miss Birchmore, who works at D'Braz lingerie store in Banstead, beat Welsh hair extensionist Heather to the prize.

She said of her win: "To win was a big relief. My response at the end was thank god.

"I had a call from Paul Martin today and we are having a meeting in the next two weeks. It's quite amazing to think someone believes in me, that I could be an impersonator."

Miss Birchmore, whose favourite Lady Gaga song is Born this Way, said of the popstar: "I love to perform and she inspires me. I'm looking forward to being Gaga, but it will be difficult to pull off being somebody else and having their mannerisms.

"You have got to be on point every time, you can't just go back to being yourself."

The Gaga fan, who started the show a size-16, is now a size 12 and said she would recommend the competition to anyone, "I would recommend anyone to do this and urge them not to feel ashamed of looking stupid. I feel absolutely amazing and have more confidence than I ever had.

"I don't think I can ever be as big as Gaga, but there is no reason I can't be as big using my own name."