-Alexandra replaced a sick Kelly Rowland on tonight's judging panel
-Had a friendly spat with Louis Walsh after she dubbed his act Kitty Brucknell as 'cabaret'
Excited: Alexandra Burke makes her grand entrance on the X Factor tonight and said she couldn't wait for the evening to begin
She was crowned winner of the show in 2008, but tonight Alexandra returned to the X Factor as a judge - and she certainly made sure her opinion was heard.
Sitting amongst Louis Walsh, Gary Barlow and Tulisa Contostavlos, the singer was there to fill the shoes of an unwell Kelly Rowland.
'I’m really looking forward to it,' she said as she arrived on the show and took her seat.
'I'm here to back the girls, here for Kelly’s girls and ain't taking any nonsense from this one over here,' she added, pointing to the Irishman.
But that wasn't the only dig the 23-year-old had at the over-25 mentor of the show.
Following Kitty Brucknell's performance of the Eurythmics hit, Sweet Dreams, Alexandra told the hopeful that she felt she was like a 'cabaret singer.'
But this comment got to Louis as he hit back at the Bad Boys singer, which left her shouting over him.
No doubt Kelly would have been proud of the young star fighting her corner, but would also be glad to know that her fellow judges were thinking of her.
'She's going to be gutted about the show, said Gary. 'Plus she missed your dance routine Dermot.'
Temporary replacement: Alexandra joined the three judges on tonight's show and certainly made sure her opinion was heard
Her female rival, Tulisa, also referenced the U.S. singer by saying: 'We all want to send our love to Kelly, we hope she gets well and is back for next week live and kicking.
Alexandra was chosen to step in within the last 24 hours after Kelly flew to Los Angeles following a bust up with Tulisa Contostavlos.
When Kelly claimed that she was too ill with a throat infection to return in time for this evening's show, X Factor bosses went into crisis mode to find a replacement.
ITV told the Daily Mail: 'It is true that Alexandra is replacing Kelly tonight, but we have no further information at present.'
Alexandra was announced following speculation that show supremo Simon Cowell or Nicole Scherzinger would step in as an emergency replacement.
Having it out: Tulisa looked on as Louis and Alexandra had a disagreement over Kitty's performance
'No nonsense': The Bad Boys singer had a friendly dig at Louis Walsh and offended him during her comments on Kitty Brucknell
Kelly Rowland left the X Factor in crisis after refusing to return to the show following her fallout with co-star Tulisa Contostavlos.
The Destiny’s Child singer, 30, flew to Los Angeles this week, leaving her three hopefuls to work on their own performances alone.
And tonight, panicking X Factor bosses were forced into 11th hour meetings as Miss Rowland claimed she had a throat infection and would not be able fly back to the UK for the ITV show.
A statement read: 'Kelly is devastated she won't be here for this weekend's show.
She is extremely ill with a viral throat infection and her doctors aren't permitting her to fly.
'Kelly will be returning to the show as soon as she has recovered. The girls have been in touch to wish her a speedy recovery and they can't wait for her to get back. More news as we have it.'
Replacement: Alexandra Burke arrives at the X Factor studios today to take Kelly Rowland's place on the judging panel for tonight's live X Factor show
Kelly also told The Sun that she is suffering from an 'extremely rare' illness, and has been in tears about her situation all week.
She explained to the paper: '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.'
A spokesman for Miss Rowland said: 'She’s really sick. Her doctor is not permitting her to fly. She won’t be here for tonight’s show. She has a viral throat infection. She is really, really sick.
'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. She tried to get on a flight today but her doctor wasn’t letting her.'
But reports today suggested that Kelly is also unhappy with rows behind the scenes and according to the Sunday Mirror, has told friends her life is being made a 'living hell' by fellow judge Tulisa.
And she said she may have to swap seats when she returns to the show so she is not next to the N-Dubz star on the panel.
According to the paper, she told a friend: 'Tulisa and I have no relationship, the show has become a living hell. I don't know how long I can tolerate this for.'
And the friend added that boss Simon Cowell has been calling Kelly to try and calm the situation down.
They said: 'The past two weeks have been hellish. Simon has had to work hard to stop her just jacking it all in. But Kelly is no pushover and can easily look after herself.'
Tension: Kelly Rowland had a falling out with fellow judge Tulisa Contostavlos on last week's show before jetting off to Los Angeles
Reports last week said Miss Rowland is still not speaking to her fellow judge Miss Contostavlos after the pair fell out live on air on last week’s show.
And the insider added: 'Kelly is turning into a real diva, she’s been on the phone to all the producers all week moaning about Tulisa’s antics.'
The N-Dubz singer, 23, had accused one of Miss Rowland’s hopefuls, Misha Bryan, of being mean to her own wannabes.
Fellow judge Louis Walsh then waded into the row by calling Misha, 19, a 'bully' - and was then forced to apologise to the viewers.
Miss Rowland had then fled the studio without speaking to Miss Contostavlos following last Sunday night’s results show.
And just a day later she flew to Los Angeles, although later denied reports that she had fled the country following her bust-up with her co-star, instead, saying it was a long-planned work trip.
Cross words: Miss Rowland is still not speaking to her fellow judge Miss Contostavlos after the pair fell out live on air last weekend
Miss Bryan, 19, from Manchester, had received positive comments from the judges for her performance of Prince's 'Purple Rain' on Saturday’s rock-themed show, but Walsh sparked a war of words when said he feared she was too ‘over-confident’.
He told her: 'You’re very confident, you’re a very confident performer. I hope you’re not too over-confident.'
Miss Contostavlos, who is mentoring the groups, then inflamed the situation, saying: 'There is no doubt about it, when it comes to talent you are way up there.
'Most people they come into the competition and they need to be built up and progress, but you came as a whole package and you are definitely the star of the show.
'But I do have one negative this week. I think you are very competitive and I’ve seen a different side of you backstage and you don’t realise that you do it, but in some ways you being so feisty can come across as quite mean to certain contestants and I’ve been told by a few this week there’s been a few mean comments towards them.
That's my girl: Kelly defended Misha B via her Twitter page after the row
'I’m not putting you down but take that feistiness and energy when you get on the stage and leave them all behind. Put aside the attitude.'
Miss Rowland insisted: 'We leave things backstage, backstage, but you brought it on stage and you brought it clean and clear and on fire tonight. I am so very proud of you, continue to work hard and you’re supposed to be confident when you go on stage.'
She then turned to Walsh and said: 'I think some of your categories should get some more confidence.'
Walsh, who is looking after the Over 25s category, then interjected: 'One of my contestants has complained about Misha bullying her backstage.'
Afterwards, Miss Contostavlos remained defiant, saying: 'I feel like if you are going to portray a certain person on stage, it should be the same person that’s backstage.
Absent: Former Destiny's Child star Kelly has been away all week, missing mentoring sessions with members of her group
'I feel like when it comes to energy, it’s a different character but when it comes to who you are, if she’s being someone else backstage and said a bitchy comment to one of my acts then I’m going to express it.'
But Miss Rowland hit back: 'I think that deserves to stay backstage, I think there is a time and a place for everything and we were here tonight to judge them for what they did onstage and not for what is going on backstage.'
Miss Rowland added to The Sun that while she hasn't yet forgiven Tulisa for her comments, they are not what's keeping her away from the show.
She said: 'I still disagree with Tulisa, but in the heat of the moment the passion gets to us and we are all extremely passionate about what we do as mentors.
'Misha will continue to shine and she will learn from this experience and use it to master herself as an artist as we all learn to do.'
Speculation: Nicole Scherzinger, who sits on the X Factor USA panel, was rumoured to be a possible replacement for Kelly
source:dailymail
