Sunday, 5 September 2010

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Simon Cowell: I thought Cheryl Cole's malaria was a hangover

X Factor supremo Simon Cowell didn't realise Cheryl Cole was seriously ill

Cheryl Cole collapsed during The X Factor auditions in Cardiff

When Cheryl Cole collapsed in Cardiff during the X Factor's auditions, Simon Cowell thought she just had a bad hangover.

Cheryl turned 27 on 30 June and had celebrated into the early hours.

'I thought she was a bit off-colour, but more personality
than physically,' Simon recalls.

'We actually thought she had a hangover, so we were winding her up all day, and she was sleeping it off or whatever.'

After Cheryl was taken to hospital for tests, Simon, 50, was shocked to be told she'd actually contracted malaria.

'I got the call from her manager who told me just how serious this really was,' he tells The Sun.

'I didn't know much about it, but apparently it was a serious strain. We were very, very worried about her.'

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