Kelly Clarkson was stunned by her own appearance on the recent cover of a fitness magazine because the photograph was so heavily airbrushed, she barely recognized herself.

Clarkson has battled weight issues ever since she won talent show American Idol in 2002, and sparked a furore after appearing on the front of Self magazine's September 2009 issue looking suspiciously svelte. The editor of the publication defended the decision to airbrush Clarkson, insisting they just wanted to show the singer looking her "best".

Now Clarkson has opened up about the controversy, admitting she was shocked by the pictures - but accepts all photoshoots inevitably involve the airbrush. She tells Britain's Heat magazine,

"The whole airbrushing thing has gone crazy. I was like, 'Who is that on the cover of the magazine?' They were obviously not happy with what I look like. I'm not being mean about myself, but I just found it funny. I think it's just one of those things that people have got so used to doing that they don't even think twice about it."