LEON Jackson's last-minute decision to pull out of Edinburgh's Hogmanay celebrations the day after he turned 19 left thousands of the X Factor winner's fans disappointed.
But fellow singer Amy Macdonald yesterday questioned whether Jackson was suffering from tonsillitis – and blamed "lazy-itis" for his no-show.
Singer-songwriter Macdonald, 20, whose debut album This Is The Life hit number two in the charts last
summer, said she was also suffering from the throat problem.
But the illness didn't stop her from performing at Glasgow's celebrations in George Square or on the BBC's Hogmanay show.
Macdonald, from Bishopbriggs in Glasgow, said: "I think Leon has got lazy-itis if I am honest. Maybe he was feeling a little fragile after his 19th (birthday party].
"I think it is shocking because so many people voted for him on The X Factor, then he had two weeks off even though he hadn't even done anything, and he still manages to pull out.
"If he misses one of his first gigs it doesn't say much for his staying power."
Jackson, whose debut single When You Believe was at number one for a second week on Sunday, had been due to open the capital's world-famous street party.
The singer, from Whitburn, West Lothian, said he was "disappointed to be letting people down" by cancelling.
He enjoyed a 19th birthday party in Glasgow's Tiger Tiger nightclub with 100 friends and family on Sunday night. He reportedly left the party at around midnight.
Macdonald said she took an intensive course of penicillin to deal with her tonsillitis and ensure she could perform.
Speaking after playing in front of 17,000 revellers in George Square, she said: "I think it is absolutely terrible that he pulled out.
"Tonsillitis doesn't harm your vocal chords at all. I have got tonsillitis too and I had to phone NHS 24 so I could get some penicillin.
I have got a sore throat but I can still sing totally fine on it."
She added: "Just wait until he is really into it and is having to go to different countries and trying to become known in other territories. It is going to get much tougher for him than it is just now."
Macdonald also claimed that reality programmes such as The X Factor were making it more difficult for talented youngsters to break through.
The singer, who started playing gigs at 15, said: "It is not that I don't think much of Leon, but there are more accomplished people out there who can sing better than he can, but he can go on The X Factor and become big instantly … It is unfair on proper struggling musicians."
Simon Jones, Jackson's publicist, last night described Macdonald's claims as "ludicrous".
He said: "I can assure everyone that Leon is very upset at not being able to perform at the Hogmanay celebrations.
"He is unwell and did not perform due to advice from his doctor and record company, which was to stay in bed.
"I don't know why Amy has made these remarks. She's not a doctor and I can only think she's doing it for the publicity."
The full article contains 540 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
