BEST friends Maria Browes and Michaela Bliss have been through more than most pals after taking part in a gruelling weight loss challenge – on TV.

Maria, from Canvey, and Michaela, from Basildon, have spent nearly two months away from their families, having their every move filmed as part of ITV1’s show the Biggest Loser.

Part Fat Club, part Big Brother, the aim of the show is for the out-of-shape contestants to improve their diet and lifestyle, while competing against each other in a series of tough physical challenges.

All the show’s 16 contestants entered in pairs, but now five have been eliminated and Maria and Michaela are one of the final three couples left.

The ultimate winners, the pair who have lost the most weight, will be revealed in the show’s finale tomorrow and will walk away with the £10,000 prize money.

Until then Maria, 44, who went on to the programme weighing 15 stone 11lbs and Michaela, 38, who clocked in at 15 stone 9lbs, are under strict instructions to keep the details of the winners and how much weight they have lost completely secret.

But despite knowing the outcome the mums, who met 16 years ago, have been glued to the screen while the show has been aired over the past eight weeks.

Michaela, a managing director who lives in the Burnt Mills area of Basildon, said: “It’s really strange seeing yourself on TV at first. We thought, ‘Why did we do that or why did we say that?’ “But once we got used to it, we were addicted to the programme and it’s all we’ve talked about.”

During the filming of the show the friends, who earned the nickname the pink ladies, lived in a house with the other contestants and were unable to contact their partners or children.

Housewife Maria, who lives near to the seafront on Canvey, said: “The challenges were really tough. It felt like we were in the Army.

“But the toughest part was being kept apart from our families.

“We did cry together, but we laughed as well and it was a totally life-changing experience.“ The final will be shown on ITV1 at 4pm on Friday.