London - Dr. Luke is being blamed for Ke$ha's trip to rehab.
The 'Dirty Love' singer was admitted to the Timberline Knolls treatment centre near Chicago on Friday to get help for an eating disorder and friends say Dr. Luke - not a medical professional but a producer, real name Lukasz Sebastian Gottwald - has previously jibed her about her weight.
A source close to Ke$ha told TMZ.com Luke was upset after she had gained a few pounds in her downtime after her 2011 Get Sleazy tour and told her management to intervene.
The source also said that on a video shoot in 2012 Ke$ha complained that Luke - who has produced massive hits for Katy Perry, Rihanna, Pink and Avril Lavigne - told her she "looks like a f***ing refrigerator".
Ke$ha, 26, was signed into an eight album deal by Luke when she was 18, and they both worked hard to perfect her sound and make her a star. She has never publicly spoken against the producer, but last April a group of her fans started an internet campaign to get her released from her contract, after she indicated on her reality TV show she didn't have the creative control she wanted over second album 'Warrior'.
The petition, which has been signed by almost 7 000 fans states: "Dr Luke is controlling Ke$ha like a puppet, feeding her what she doesn't want and her creativity is dwindling."
Upon entering rehab, Ke$ha issued a statement, saying: "I'm a crusader for being yourself and loving yourself but I've found it hard to practice.
"I'll be unavailable for the next 30 days, seeking treatment for my eating disorder ... to learn to love myself again. Exactly as I am." - Bang Showbiz