X Factor judge Kelly Rowland has gone AWOL following Saturday’s on-air bust-up between the judging panel, The Sun newspaper has claimed.

A row erupted on the live TV talent show this weekend when fellow judge Tulisa Contostavlos said that Rowland’s protege, Misha B, had made “mean comments” backstage.

Louis Walsh then turned things up a notch by accusing Misha B of bullying another contestant. Walsh apologised for his outburst on the results show the next day.

However, the tabloid reports that Rowland is furious with Contostavlos and wouldn’t speak to the N-Dubz star in the aftermath of the row.

And an ITV1 source apparently told The Sun: “We don’t know where [Rowland] is.”

The Destiny’s Child star is thought to have flown back to the US, leaving her X Factor acts without a mentor during rehearsals for the next live show.

Another show insider is quoted in The Sun as saying: “As the contest heats up, she’s left them in the lurch all week. It’s very arrogant.”

Meanwhile, the Daily Mail reports that ousted contestant Sami Brookes, who it appears was the contestant Walsh suggested had been bullied by Misha B, thinks the veteran judge should be sacked.

“Louis has got loads of experience, but it’s a new X Factor so they should have someone new,” she apparently said.