Lancashire Jeremy Kyle and X Factor star Audrey Chawner dies in her sleep aged 73

Audrey Chawner, who starred on X Factor, Jeremy Kyle and Lorraine Kelly's Big Fat Challenge has died aged 73.

The mum from Great Harwood, near Blackburn, became a reality TV star in 2007 alongside her daughter Emma, who famously wore a bridesmaid’s dress on ITV's X Factor and failed to impress the judges with her rendition of My Heart Will Go On.

Emma, who also tried out for the X Factor in 2009 alongside her sister Samantha, took to Instagram to share the news. On Monday she wrote: "I'm just letting you all know my mum passed peacefully in her sleep at 4am this morning."

The following day, she also posted a picture of family dog Ruby, stating: "Just letting everyone that Ruby has just passed away at 11am this morning. Going to miss her so much, what else can wrong for me?"

Speaking to the Sun, Emma now 34, said: "She was a lovely lady - loved her TV programmes, loved her animals and loved a good laugh. Her favourite TV programmes were Emmerdale and Eastenders."

Go Fund Me Emma has set up a Go Fund Me page for £7,000 to cover the cost of her mum's funeral.

On the appeal, she wrote: "My name is Emma Chawner and the reason I have done a Go Fund Me page is that my mum passed away on Monday the 15th. She died peacefully in her sleep in hospital.

"My mum was a lovely, caring, respectful lady and I miss her so much, so I would appreciate any help towards her funeral because at (this) time it's really hard for me and my Dad to pay for it and I really want my mum to have a good send off. Any amount of money would be greatly appreciated, thank you all so much."

Reality TV

The family were no strangers to reality TV, also appearing on the Jeremy Kyle Show in 2015, with Emma accusing Audrey of abandoning the family.

The family, who have also been branded "Teletubbies" and "too fat to work" and once weighed in at a combined weight of over 90 stone, also appeared on Lorraine Kelly's Big Fat Challenge in 2010.