Alesha in for injured Cowell on X Factor
SIMON Cowell was forced to sit out a second X Factor live show last night after a serious fall, with Alesha Dixon replacing him.
Cowell, 58, was rushed to hospital on Friday after slipping down the stairs, leaving him with concussion and fearing he had broken his back.
He was forced to miss the first live show of the series on Saturday after doctors ordered he stayed at home to rest.
Despite swapping the nights each team would appear in the hopes that Cowell would make a swift recovery, he was still too unwell to appear on Sunday. Instead pop star and previous guest judge Alesha sat in the judge’s chair for the over-25s and groups’ performances.
Music mogul Cowell watched the show from home with partner Lauren Silverman and son Eric instead.
Reports claim Cowell had got out of bed to fetch a cup of hot milk because he was dizzy and couldn’t sleep, but fainted and fell down the stairs.
He was stretchered out of his mansion in a neck brace after an ambulance was called at 8am on Friday. He was taken to Chelsea and Westminster Hospital for scans of his brain, neck, spine and back.
Cowell underwent an MRI and CT scan, and was spotted wearing a blood pressure monitor.
When he returned home at 3:30pm the same day, he said he was “feeling OK”, but had concussion.
He said: “It’s been scary. A shock to the system.”
Yesterday a doctor was pictured leaving his home after a check-up, but he was still deemed too unwell to work.
A source said: “Doctors told him it would be too quick for him to return to work just 48 hours after a serious medical episode.
“So he’s getting some much needed rest and will be watching the X Factor at home with Eric and Lauren. Alesha knows what she’s doing and will be a good representative of Simon’s views.”
Alesha, 39, covered for Sharon Osbourne when she was ill earlier this year, and appeared in place of Nicole Scherzinger in June.
The star has also had stints on the panels of both Britain’s Got Talent and Strictly Come Dancing, which she won in 2007.