[Firewire]

Kelly Rowland will not appear on The X Factor this weekend, it has been announced.

The Destiny Child singer is currently in Los Angeles and will not be able to fly back to London because of a "throat infection".

"She is extremely ill with a viral throat infection and her doctors aren't permitting her to fly," her spokesperson told The Mirror. "Kelly is devastated she won't be here for this weekend's show."

Nicole Scherzinger has since been rumoured to step in as cover for the ill judge.

Last week, Rowland left for a trip to Los Angeles, sparking rumours that she had fallen out with fellow judges Tulisa Contostavlos and Louis Walsh.

Contostavlos and Walsh accused Rowland's act Misha B of bullying fellow contestants on last week's show. Rowland told Contostavlos to "leave things backstage".

The Destiny's Child star later denied reports that she left her X Factor acts because of a fall-out with her fellow judges.

DS