Lewis faces throat operation

Leona Lewis is to undergo an operation on her throat in a bid to save her voice.

The former 'X Factor' winner is prone to severe bouts of tonsillitis which are threatening to hamper her singing career - so she is now considering surgery in a bid to alleviate the recurrent illness.

Lewis who is in the middle of a massive promotional push in the US, has consulted specialists on both sides of the Atlantic to make sure any operation to remove her tonsils will not affect her voice.

A representative for the star has confirmed she is to go under the knife, but insists her music career will not be compromised.

He says: "Leona would like to reassure fans this is a routine operation which will not affect her voice. She has sought specialists' advice for this. If an operation becomes necessary, it would be a routine procedure."

The 22-year-old suffered from the debilitating condition during the 'X Factor TV' contest in 2006. She also fell victim to the illness last year and was forced to take a major break from the recording of her debut album, Spirit, which was released in the US this year.