A NURSE today revealed how her life had been transformed -- thanks to £50,000 of surgery on a controversial TV makeover show.

Jacqueline Kennedy, an endoscopy nurse at Blackburn Royal Infirmary, underwent extensive plastic surgery in the first UK-filmed series of Living TV's Extreme Makeover.

The 50-year-old single mum-of-four beat off competition from 16,000 entrants to take part in the show after telling producers she was desperate to find a new man.

Ms Kennedy was handed over to a team of specialists including surgeon Peter Arnstein who worked around the clock to give her a face lift, brow lift, upper eyelid reduction, breast reduction and tummy tuck.

Her teeth were whitened and straightened, her eyebrows tattooed and her hair was cut and coloured by a top stylist.

To maintain her new figure she was given dance lessons and a nutritional and exercise regime by personal trainers.

The show has attracted criticism from some viewers who say it is taking the current trend in makeover shows too far.

Ms Kennedy, of Cherry Tree, said: "I was looking at my horoscope on the internet when an advert popped up.

"It said: 'Why do you deserve an extreme makeover?'

"Being a nurse and understanding all the procedures didn't put me off because I was really desperate for the breast reduction. I had already thought a lot about it for a long time, it wasn't an overnight thing.

"The surgery was all done at the same time and I was on the operating table for six and a half hours. Afterwards, I was on morphine and the nurses were so attentive that I never really felt in pain. The transformation took six weeks.

"My close friends and family were all invited to see my new look and all the girls from work came.

"When I walked down the stairs nobody could believe it was me -- they were all staring with their mouths hanging open!

"It was wonderful, exactly like it is on the show. I felt sky-high.

"The show hasn't changed my personality but I feel fitter and more confident.

"The breast reduction is the best thing I've ever done."

Jacqueline was allowed time off her work to recover because she had previously been awaiting surgery to relieve a back complaint.

A Living TV spokesman said: "She desperately wanted a breast reduction so that she can be relieved of back problems.

"Jacqueline wanted to be appreciated for old-fashioned values and would like to be swept off her feet by a knight in shining armour who talks to her face not her breasts!"

Ms Kennedy has been working at the hospital for eight years and also works as a voluntary counsellor with alcoholics and drug users, as well as in a high security prison.

Her new look was unveiled on the show last Thursday.