X Factor judge Gary Barlow has reportedly refused to take his acts to the States this year for the Judges’ Houses round, because he doesn’t want to miss the birth of his fourth child.

Gary’s wife Dawn is due to have their baby girl next month, and though X Factor’s producers had lined up a luxury pad in New York for Gary and his acts, he’s told chiefs that he needs to stay within Europe so that he’s able to fly back to the UK in a short space of time.

A show insider told TV Biz, “Gary’s daughter is due to arrive at exactly the same time the judges’ houses are set to be filmed.

“Gary is really torn — he wants to be with his acts but he knows he can’t miss his daughter’s birth.

“You could see Gary making a hospital dash on the show. This really is reality TV…”

Gary’s Take That buddy Robbie Williams is also of course an expectant dad, and though it had been thought he would help Gary at Judges’ Houses again this year as he did in the last series, he may pull out of the engagement if his wife Ayda goes into labour.

However, in addition to his worry that he might miss the birth of his baby, Gary has also expressed concern that he’s asking too much of wife Dawn to tolerate him jet setting again so soon after he spent six weeks touring the Commonwealth organizing the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee track, Sing.

Of that, Gary recently said, “I felt like divorce would be filed if I told my wife I was going on this trip.”