SHE was Larger than Life - she's now Wishful Thinking.

Roly-poly comic, 17-stone Sue Armitt who used to draw belly laughs by having a pop at her own size, has no excuse for not going on a diet any more after changing her act and stage name.

But that seems unlikely when her weakness is ten pints of lager on a night out.

"Size isn't an issue any more," she says. "But I have lost a bit of weight."

Her partner is now her own daughter, Paula a slim-line blonde clone, and that means altering her material and style.

"We do a mother/daughter funny act now highlighting the generation gap," says 43-year-old Sue, whose former partner Chris Dabbs made up the other half of Larger Than Life.

Their entire repertoire was based on BIG and both went on to join Flabba - a blubbery send-up on Abba - before Sue decided that her career as a social worker and her family came first.

"I always hankered after fame and fortune, but I had to face reality. My place was at work and at home," she says. "I had worked hard in my career and I enjoy it."

Now she and Paula, a 22-year-old single mum, make people laugh as Wishful Thinking most Saturday nights in pubs across the region making little but enough to cover expenses. But they do enjoy the craic.

Now it looks like toddler Sophie, three, is set to follow in their footsteps as she joins the act when family events permit at their local pub, The Blueberry in Macclesfield.

"She a right little performer," says Sue who lives in Dunster Road, Macclesfield. "She adores her belly dancing costume and we have bought her a little microphone so she can sing along with us.

"Once when we all sang for an audience SHE got the standing ovation - not us!"

Sue, who recently won the Grand Final of Senior Startrail competition at Blue Dolphin Holiday Park in Yorkshire, is simply addicted to showbiz.

Her family felt if they couldn't beat her they would join her. So long-suffering hubby Chris works the sound equipment during their gigs.

Sue's other daughter Michelle, 25, left the act to join the police force and son Dave, 19, a college student isn't interested in showbiz but he tolerates his mum's obsession.

For one who has had no trouble in the past ensuring there was enough flesh on her bones to make her the target of amusement, in her current role as "mum" being plump doesn't hold the same importance.

Even so she does include Burly Chassis (Shirley Bassey) in her act which has audiences splitting their sides.

"I have lost weight - about one-and-a-half stone," she jests. "I'm a perfect size 10 but I wear 24."

She adds: "Having my daughter as my partner is really funny. She makes me sing Atomic Kitten while I am more your Pussy Galore.

"I tell her I can't believe I am singing Steps when I can't even climb up them.

"Going out to perform relieves stress and for Paula, who is a single mum, she gets a night out. And we love going out as a family."

Sue, who has been avidly watching the recent TV talent programmes, said she is waiting for Granny Idol to hit the screens.

"Then I'll be there," she said. "When they advertised Popstars: The Rivals for 16-24 I raced out, but then I realised they meant age and not dress size."

Sue's most recent claim to fame was starring as "the sack" in the final episode of last year's League of Gentlemen BBC2's comedy series.

She was the stunt double of a vicar who had a hood thrown over "her" head and was bundled into the back of a sleigh.

"It was filmed at 1am at the Forest Chapel up on the Cat and Fiddle road. I had a dwarf clinging onto my back beating me with a hammer and my legs had 19 seconds of glory.

"It seems the producers were so pleased that when they prepared to film the last series they rang the casting agency and asked for the sack back. That was me."

This time in the first episode of the new stretch Sue was cast as "a grotty cafe owner".

She says: "I thought I would spend hours in make-up but all they did was put mascara on me and send me out! What cheek. They might as well have put a sack over my head and be done with it.

"All viewers saw was my elbows and backside because I spent the scene waiting on."

But Sue takes it all in her ample stride.

After all she is still larger than life when it comes to personality, and whatever wishful thinking she has these days are no longer dreams of fame and fortune. They are strictly confined to her family.