Leona Lewis pulls out of the F1 ball

Abu Dhabi // The pop singer Leona Lewis has pulled out of this weekend's Formula One ball for personal reasons.

The 25-year-old British star, who has sold more than 6.5 million albums worldwide, will be replaced by the US soul act Sister Sledge.

Lewis, who found fame after winning the UK television talent show The X Factor in 2006, had been due to perform on Saturday on the lawns of the Yas Hotel.

Sister Sledge, famous for their 1970s chart hits including We Are Family, will perform alongside the British pop star Sophie Ellis-Bextor and the Grammy award-winning singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan.

Supermodels Kate Moss and Claudia Schiffer and the actress and model Elizabeth Hurley are expected at the ball along with Hollywood stars Samuel L Jackson and Uma Thurman.

Some of Bollywood's most adored stars including Sohail Khan and Sophie Choudry will also walk the red carpet.

A table for 10 costs Dh25,000 at the charity ball, which this year will raise money for deprived children in Russia through the Naked Heart Foundation.

Earlier this week, the Lebanese singer Nancy Ajram announced she could not perform at the Beats on the Beach concert, scheduled for Friday, for personal reasons. She has been replaced by the actress and singer Haifa Wehbe.

mswan@thenational.ae