Girls' mentor Kelly, 30, flew to Los Angeles earlier in the week for other work commitments, leaving Misha B, Janet Devlin and Sophie Habibis in the lurch. But while she was there she contracted an 'extremely rare' throat infection and her doctors have said she is not yet well enough to return to the UK. It leaves Nicole Scherzinger as the obvious strand-in for the former Destiny's Child singer as she is in the UK and due to perform on Sunday’s results show.
The fact that she is currently judging X Factor USA alongside Simon Cowell also helps. However, Cheryl Cole is reportedly being considered as another option to make a remarkable comeback, as she mentored the likes of Cher Lloyd in the Girls' category last year. The former X Factor judge was previously lined up to reclaim her place on the panel after she was axed from X Factor USA, until the deal collapsed.
And sources suggest Cheryl would be very reluctant to come back - with X Factor bosses also unlikely to perform such a spectacular U-turn in asking her - meaning a reunion for show with the Geordie singer is highly unlikely. On her illness, Kelly told The Sun: 'I'm so sick - I have no idea what is wrong with me, but I have the worst sore throat. 'I've been in tears all week. It got so bad that I stopped eating and drinking and got so dehydrated the doctor put me on a drip. 'Even now I can't swallow anything - not even my own saliva. The doctors don't even really know what's wrong, either. They say whatever I have is extremely rare.'
Meanwhile, show bosses are believed to be furious that Rowland has ditched her acts to nurse a sore throat. A show source told the Daily Mail: 'Quite honestly, it’s expected that the judges would have to be on their death bed to miss a show. 'The fact that Kelly has a throat infection hardly seems that desperate.
'The producers are less than impressed and we’ve have had less than 24 hours to pick someone to stand in for her.'
The furore comes after reports that Kelly and fellow judge Tulisa Contostavlos are still not speaking after the N-Dubz singer slated Kelly's contestant Misha B on last week's show. Kelly's spokesperson clarified: 'She has not gone AWOL. She will be back. She’s been in contact with the girls. 'She’s been on intravenous drips. Her doctor will not permit her to fly.'