Leona Lewis suffered a bout of nerves at a MTV Video Music Award afterparty on Sunday - because she could see her idol Christina Aguilera in the front row.

The Bleeding Love hitmaker was able to keep her nerves under control as she stepped onstage at the televised VMA ceremony to duet with Lil Wayne in front of millions of viewers.

But the star-struck 23-year-old panicked at a post-VMA bash later in the evening when she was told Aguilera would be watching her up-close.

She says, "I was more nervous at the aftershow party. I was performing and the place was full of celebrities.

"Just before I was due to go on the organiser came over and said, 'Christina Aguilera has asked to sit in the front row as she wants to see you and there is Paris, Mischa Barton...' I must have looked like I was panicking as my assistant pulled me away!"