Cowell helps to save contestant's life

Simon Cowell helped save the life of a contestant who auditioned for The X Factor by noticing an odd rasp in her voice which was caused by a potentially fatal lung problem.

The TV judge commented that club singer Jacqui Gray sounded like she was choking when she sang on the show, and recommended to her that she should get checked out by a doctor.

After having an appointment with an ear, nose and throat specialist, the 46-year-old was diagnosed with the potentially fatal lung disease bronchiectasis and was informed she could have died if she had not sought medical assistance.

Gray thanked Cowell as well as judge Sharon Osbourne, who had pushed her to get checked out, and said: "I want to thank them both. I may not have got through X Factor but they gave me something much more important than that - they really did save my life.

"After the show my mum said: 'It is not the best I have heard you sing.' But nobody had spotted the problem with my voice. I just thought it was a chest infection or swollen glands. I had been to the doctor so often his wife must have thought we were having an affair.

"He sent me to see a consultant at Sunderland General Hospital. A scan showed a shadow on my lungs. I was diagnosed with bronchiectasis and told if I had not got it seen to, it could have killed me."

An X Factor spokesperson said: "We are glad to hear Simon and the judges helped to identify Jacqui's problem. It is great news she is on the road to recovery."

The footage was shown on Saturday's episode of The X Factor.