Courageous Cheryl Cole sent US X Factor judge Paul Abdul a bunch of flowers yesterday in the clearest sign yet that she is getting over her cruel show snub.

The Geordie singer – who has been a total recluse since she was booted off the show two weeks ago – sent the gift to show she has no bad feelings towards Paula.

And the heartfelt gesture was not lost on the American star, who tweeted: “Gorgeous flowers from a gorgeous girl. Sweet friend… love you #Chezza thank you so much!”

Paula, 48, has been in New Jersey all week at X Factor auditions alongside new judge Nicole Scherzinger, while Cheryl has been hiding out in a UK bolt-hole, trying to put her fortnight from hell behind her.

At the time of her sensational sacking there was a suggestion she had clashed with Paula. But last night a source close to the 27-year-old revealed: “Paula and Cheryl really are good friends.

They have spoken on the phone several times in the last two weeks and Paula has been offering Cheryl plenty of advice about what to do next.

“Cheryl wanted to send the flowers to show that she does not blame Paula in anyway.

“Whether she can say the same for Nicole and Simon Cowell is another matter and maybe it is telling that they didn’t receive any flowers.”

Since Cheryl was unceremoniously dumped by her former mentor Cowell she has not been seen in public – and is said to be deeply upset by his comments about her.

The music mogul has said this week Cheryl should have a “thick skin to cope with this”.

And he also added: “I am sorry this has caused so much anguish and embarrassment, but I stand by what I believe was the right intention. And I would say that to her face right now.”

Cheryl’s family are trying to encourage her to leave her hideout and return home to Newcastle – but her only concern is to avoid the limelight.

Our source said: “Cheryl’s definitely on the mend. But she still gets very upset every time she heard Simon talk about what went on. She trusted him implicitly and genuinely thought of him as a friend.”

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Simon Cowell finally has broken his silence on the X Factor Cheryl Cole saga, hoping to set the record straight on the Geordie singer’s axing from the US show.

Publicly apologising to the Girls Aloud star, he told the Sun: ‘I’m sorry. I’m not a monster.’

It seems the music guru still hopes to make things right with his former pal, claiming he was only looking out for what was best for her during the entire fiasco.

‘I’m sorry. I hope we’re still close friends’ he said. ‘She’s still a star. The hardest thing to accept is that everyone has painted me as a monster because I embarrassed her.

‘But the truth was I was protecting her. I just want people to be in the best place at the right time,’ he admitted, ‘I just thought she’d be happier in the UK.’

And despite hearsay that her accent put her on the chopping block, Simon has insisted it has nothing to do with it.

‘We noticed she was quieter than normal. The feeling was that she was slightly out of her comfort zone in America. The intention was to do it quietly and say to her she had an option to rejoin the UK show.’

He also denied reports that she had been sacked, insisting he wanted her to go back to her role on the UK show.

‘At the end of the day we were saying, ‘move to another show for even more money’. There was an offer of around £2.5million on the table including bonuses. How is that sacking someone?’

He also revealed that he didn’t tell her to leave the US show – but instead executive producer Richard Holloway delivered the final blow: ‘I wasn’t the right person. I felt she would be more comfortable to hear it from him.’

With Nicole Scherzinger now confirmed as the new judge replacing Cheryl on the US X Factor, it seems Cheryl’s fate has been sealed. But despite this, Simon insists that there are other roles for her on different shows.

Cheryl still hasn’t spoken out about her ordeal, but a friend told The Sun: ‘If Simon wants to say it wasn’t personal, that’s up to him. But the reality is he really pushed her into doing the US show. She would have been happy doing another year on the UK show.

‘At least he has said she walked away and that she wasn’t fired.

‘She just wants to take a break from all this and look to the future. It has been completely exhausting but she isn’t going to let it get in the way of her life any more.’

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Gary Barlow has admitted he is “disappointed” Cheryl Cole is no longer part of the X Factor as he arrived for the first day of auditions.

The Take That singer has been drafted in to replace Simon Cowell as a mentor and judge on the hit ITV show.

And last year’s female judges Dannii Minogue and Cheryl have both been replaced, with Kelly Rowland and Tulisa Contostavlos the new additions.

Cowell is focusing on launching the X Factor in the USA, and had taken Cheryl with him as one of the panel members.

But the Girls Aloud singer was replaced by Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger part-way through the audition stage after failing to convince show bosses.

ITV offered her a return to the UK version of the show but she did not get back on board.

And pal Gary admits he would love to have worked with her, but is sure Kelly and Tulisa will win fans.

He said: “I sent Cheryl some texts just saying ‘Sending support’. She’s a good friend of mine. I’m disappointed she’s gone.

“The other two girls are going to be great.”

But he is not sure Cowell will be missed so much. He joked: “It was time he went anyway, he’s been on it too much.”

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Cheryl Cole has been ‘sacked’ from The US X Factor, its been reported.

News broke late last night on TMZ.com and word quickly spread around Twitter and other news sources that Cheryl had been dropped from the show and will be replaced by ex-”Pussycat Dolls” member Nicole Scherzinger.

TMZ reports the reasons for the sacking, was that there was a “lack of chemistry” with fellow judge Paula Abdul and producers were worried about her accent.

Cheryl fans have taken to twitter in support of Cheryl to come back to the UK.

One Cheryl fanpage @UltimateCheryl had a reply from Cheryl’s PR but the reply was quickly deleted. Here’s what it said:

RT @supersonicpr: @UltimateCheryl We’ve told Cheryl how much support she is getting from her soldiers. Thank you all.

A premature reply before a statement maybe? Either way, this reply is pretty much a confirmation to us, that the reports are true.

However, there has been no official statement from FOX or Cheryl’s management to make it 100% official.

Thanks to @@BBBBryson on Twitter, here are Cheryl’s opening speeches at The LA live filming auditions for The US X Factor.

Cheryl didn’t disappoint yesterday as she made her debut in America as a US X Factor judge.

She arrived at the LA auditions in a seventies-inspired outfit of purple Diane von Furstenberg flares, tangerine Oscar de la Renta blouse and bright turquoise belt. She teamed her look with a back-combed bouffant hairstyle.

Cheryl did a round of press interviews before posing for photos outside the Galen Center in Los Angeles.

Paula Abdul also joins the panel, and very excitedly tweeted a picture of her and Cheryl backstage:

@PaulaAbdul: Pic of me & Cheryl Cole http://ow.ly/i/bknr Gotta tell you about Cheryl- ‘The Fierce’ is STRONG w/ this one!

The live auditions of The US X Factor are happening in Los Angeles (last day today) Chicago, Newark, Miami, Dallas and Seattle.
If your lucky enough to live in one of those cities and want to go along, check [HERE] for details.

For the US version of The X Factor, there will be no ‘Xtra Factor’ episodes. However they have made a website for all extra gossip www.xfactorxtra.com

See below for the forum links to view over 200 pictures of Cheryl arriving and also some press videos.

200+ Pictures | Download videos of Cheryl arriving

Its finally been confirmed after months and months of speculation and hype, Cheryl Cole has landed a top job as a judge on the US X Factor. She will join Simon Cowell and L.A. Reid on the judging panel of the show and she cannot wait to get started.

Cheryl says “I’m so excited to be taking part in the American version of The X Factor.
I absolutely love it here in the UK, and with the talent they have out in America, I’m sure we’re going to find someone very special. I can’t wait to get started.
I just can’t decide whether I am more excited to find and nurture the talent or for the unbelievable amount of amusement and entertainment I will have watching Simon doing everything and anything he can to beat me.
He’s tried to beat me for three years in the UK, and hasn’t even come close. His ego must be so bruised. America is gonna love this.”

Simon, who has worked alongside Cheryl for 3 years on the UK version of The X Factor said “I’m thrilled for Cheryl. She is massively excited about this show, and has been fantastic to work with. She is also a complete brat! Most importantly, this girl can spot talent.”

Auditions start this Sunday 8th May through till 26th May. The show will be shown on FOX channel in America AND also on ITV2 in the UK!

Are you happy that Cheryl has landed this exciting job, or more worried about the future of Girls Aloud? Tweet us on @GirlsAloudMedia and let us know!

After months of speculation, the biggest hint yet of a confirmed US X Factor panel has come in an interview Simon Cowell gave recently to Deadline.com.

In it, he says Paula Abdul, Antonio ‘LA’ Reid and Cheryl Cole will join him as judges on the talent show, which is set to begin later this year.

Defending his choice of the Girls Aloud singer, who is relatively unknown stateside and whose accent Deadline.com describes as “incomprehensible”, Cowell claims she is “special”.

“She’s a great judge. She’s smart. It’s just a hunch. If people take to her like the British public did, I think she’s going to do really well in America,” he adds.

BUT

Simon Cowell’s representative came out firing in response not long after the news broke, claiming nothing is set in stone and those two ladies were just a few possibilities among many.

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