Kelly Rowland hits back at illness critics

Kelly Rowland has brushed off gossip she staged the illness which forced her to pull out of her judging duties on Britain's The X Factor for a week, insisting her virus was "the worst feeling ever".

The former Destiny's Child star fell sick during a trip to Los Angeles last month (Oct11) and was unable to fly back to the U.K. for two live shows of the talent contestant.

She phoned into the show to cast her vote by telephone, prompting some viewers and critics to take aim at Rowland and question just how sick she really was.

During an appearance on Britain's The Alan Carr Show, she says, "First of all, I didn't have to have a sickie voice (on the phone). I wouldn't want anybody to feel the hell what I felt that week. It was the worst feeling ever. I didn't care about what everyone was saying."