Singer Michelle Heaton has explained why she was photographed vomiting on the side of the road while on tour with Atomic Kitten in New Zealand.

The former Liberty X star has joined the girl group on the road to replace bandmate Liz McClarnon, who is afraid of flying.

She was photographed being sick out of a taxi after a day out with Atomic Kitten members Kerry Katona and Natasha Hamilton but said it was down to jet lag and sunstroke rather than too much to drink.

She told ITV’s Lorraine: “I’m so embarrassed, it was the first day that we got there and we were so jet lagged and we had to stay up.

“We got there at 5.30 in the morning and we went on a boat ride and I had a few glasses of wine during the day and I got a bit of sunstroke and I did a two-hour workout in the gym and I just got sick.

“There is no excuse, we have all been there and it really wasn’t as bad as it looked. I didn’t do anything wrong, it really wasn’t that mad.”