London
(ANI):
Popstar
Britney
Spears
refused
to
meet
any
of
the
X
Factor's
final
five
contestants
over
fears
that
they
are
'toxic'.
The
comeback
queen
snubbed
the
finalists
to
avoid
catching
any
bugs
from
the
wannabes.
The
'Toxic'
hitmaker
was
scared
that
she
would
catch
laryngitis,
which
could
throw
her
100
million
pounds
comeback
into
turmoil.
Contestants
Diana
Vickers,
17,
and
her
rival
Alexandra
Burke,
20,
almost
pulled
out
of
the
show
because
of
serious
throat
infections.
Cheryl
Cole,
25,
and
Simon
Cowell,
48,
have
also
been
battling
severe
flu.
Spears
thrilled
X
Factor
viewers
with
a
raunchy
performance
of
her
new
hit
Womanizer,
in
what
was
her
first
UK
appearance
in
five
years.
However,
she
left
it
until
the
last
minute
to
arrive
for
the
show
because
of
health
fears.
Spears
was
put
in
quarantine
before
her
TV
appearance
and
the
decision
came
after
it
was
revealed
Leona
Lewis
has
also
been
sick
since
she
performed
on
the
show
two
weeks
ago.
"Britney
was
so
scared
of
getting
ill
she
decided
to
fly
in
from
Paris
to
perform
and
fly
straight
out
again," the
Daily
Star
quoted
the
source,
as
saying.
"She
was
worried
about
the
cold
weather
but
when
staff
found
out
about
Leona
and
the
contestants'
illnesses,
that
was
the
last
straw.
She
has
a
lot
of
money
riding
on
this
latest
comeback
and
she
could
not
risk
getting
ill
as
well,"
the
source
added.