Threatening to "walk out" if her team doesn’t take home the ultimate prize, Kelly Rowland, who’s been branded a "sore loser", is making no secret of her intentions.
According to on-set sources, the show’s bosses have been left desperately scrambling to calm the situation after fearing she could snap at any moment.
"She feels robbed after her contestant Fasika came third last year," says a source. "She is still moaning about it now and says she can’t understand what happened."
Refusing to join the other coaches to celebrate at the wrap party last year, Kelly is believed to have snubbed Delta Goodrem, Boy George and Seal.
During the aftermath of the last live grand final, Kelly was said to be "unapproachable", after storming off the stage.
When the Today panel asked Boy George last week how the coaches celebrate after the finale, he alluded to trouble in paradise:
"It depends who it is. Some people take losing really badly."
Now sources say if Kelly loses, her temper may boil over.
In a recent interview, she made it clear that she didn’t understand Aussies and blamed fans for pushing her too far.
"We have people on the show this year, and I’m like: 'If the Australian public don’t vote for this person, I’m just gon’ have to walk out.' I just won’t get it," she threatened.
And despite Team Kelly contestant Sam Perry being the odds-on favourite to be crowned the winner – his audition has become one of the most-talked-about moments of this season when all four coaches turned around for him – the show’s bosses have called meetings as they go into "crisis mode".
"They know she won’t hold back," says the source. "Kelly doesn’t like losing, everyone found that out the hard way last year when she stormed off and refused to talk to anyone. It was awkward, especially for the winner Judah [Kelly] and for his coach Delta."
But making no apologies, she is being clear she still has sour grapes.
"Well, for one, Fasika should’ve won. But, when it came down to the two, I felt like Hoseah was more a voice I’d listen to on the radio," she confirmed in the interview.
"If somebody goes home that I love this season, even if they’re not on my team, I want an explanation. I just want to know the logic."
Crew members have been warned of possible outcomes for the grand finale and preparations are underway for a replacement coach, should she quit.
"Kelly is a strong and smart woman. She has had to fight her way to the top to get noticed after Destiny’s Child. She wants to support women and to show them they can do anything and be the top of their game. She is so focused on it."
Channel Nine has today denied claims that Kelly is to quit the show, or that she is disgruntled.
