Cheryl Cole has been given a huge boost by US critics after they backed her over ‘downgrade’ replacement Nicole Scherzinger after the first episode of X Factor USA went to air.

Girls Aloud singer Cheryl was axed from the Fox show in May in favour of the Pussycat Dolls singer, but still appears in the opening episode.

Critical reaction to her judging skills on Simon Cowell’s stateside X Factor has been fairly positive, saying that she is ‘much more interesting than Scherzinger’.

One particularly scathing review in the New York Times labelled the Pussycat Doll ‘not much more than a seat warmer.’

The review read: ‘In the premiere Cheryl just kind of disappears mid show, without much explanation, and suddenly Nicole Scherzinger of Pussycat Dolls is in her chair. It’s a downgrade.

‘Ms Cole showed glimmers of being interesting; in two seasons as a judge on The Sing-Off on NBC, Ms Scherzinger was a pretty face but, judicially speaking, not much more than a seat warmer.’

The Chicago Tribune was similarly disapproving of Scherzinger, saying: ‘Scherzinger doesn’t come off as an obvious improvement’, while the LA Times wrote: ‘On a first impression, she [Cole] is much more interesting than Scherzinger, if only for her fabulous Geordie accent.’

Music mogul Simon Cowell took the decision to sack Cole from the show after it was feared she would not connect with US audiences, leaving her jobless in the X Factor franchise on both sides of the Atlantic.

But it seems Cowell may have made the wrong decision in hiring Scherzinger as a replacement, with the 33-year-old criticised for being ‘more interested in tearing up and out-glamming Pop Idol’s Jennifer Lopez than bringing much to the commentary.’

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Simon Cowell has said that he would hire Cheryl Cole again “in a heartbeat”.

The former X Factor colleagues parted company after Cole was axed from the American version of the show just weeks after landing the role. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Cowell claimed that the Girls Aloud star had expressed some hesitation about accepting the job.

Cowell said: “I came to the conclusion that she may not be as comfortable here because I was seeing a different person. She was like Princess Diana when she would walk out in England, and I accepted the fact that people didn’t know her here, but I think it did have an effect on her.”

The 51-year-old recalled how he had to tell Cole to “raise your game” on the second day of filming. At the same time, Cowell looked into having her return to the UK version of the show – with a massive pay increase.

As negotiations between the two parties continued, Cowell said: “We had gotten to the point where she wanted my dressing room. It was decided: She would come back on Wednesday, and we wouldn’t tell the media. Then it leaked and got unpleasant. She missed the deadline, which meant she’d lost the UK show.

“I asked will.i.am, ‘How does she feel about it?’. He said, ‘It’s none of your concern.’ Then I got nervous. I called back to tell him: ‘I don’t care what you say; if she wants to come back, she’s got the gig. But if I don’t hear from her by Sunday, the deal’s off.’ I never heard from her. That was it. I think her silence was quite damning.”

Cowell admitted that he is “not happy with the way it played out”, but defended his position, explaining: “I wouldn’t be doing my job as a producer if I didn’t do what was right for my shows. I stand by the decisions I’ve made, and I knew the implications when I did it publicly – that I was going to get slaughtered, and I did.”

However, while the relationship between the pair has been damaged, the Syco boss insisted that he would rehire the 28-year-old “in a heartbeat”.

Cowell said: “You’re not drowning puppies here, you’re offering someone who’s got millions of dollars more money and more work. And if people think that’s cruel, then they can do that to me on a daily basis. I’ll take it twice a day.”

The X Factor USA premieres on Fox on September 21.

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Producers at FOX say Cheryl Cole’s strong, regional English accent, and lack of profile stateside had no relationship to the British singer departing “The X Factor” as a judge and mentor after just two audition rounds.

“The crowd was great with her,” President of Alternative Entertainment for FOX, Mike Darnell, told Access Hollywood after “The X Factor” panel at the Television Critics Association Session in Beverly Hills on Friday. “I think that Simon and the producers just felt that it was, at the moment that she was doing it, they felt like maybe, she would be more comfortable doing [the show in] England.”

Cecile Frot-Coutaz, an Executive Producer of “The X Factor,” said Cole was well received by the American crowds and no contestants questioned whether she was experienced enough in the stateside entertainment world to judge.

“I think people knew her because she was on the British show. There was nobody who said, ‘Well, who are you?’” Frot-Coutaz told Access. “People knew who Cheryl was and when she walked into the arena, people knew who Cheryl was and they understood her [accent]. I think it was more of a trade off in terms of the franchise.”

Frot-Coutaz suggested that Simon Cowell’s own departure from “The X Factor’s” UK branch to the U.S. edition was responsible for producers thinking it might be best to keep Cole on the British show.

“The English, they were looking for their panel in England,” she said. “After Simon’s departure, they had to recast the British show.”

Darnell confirmed that Cole’s exit will be featured as part of “The X Factor” when it begins this September.

“We’ll have to,” he said.

“We’re going to air the shows as they happened,” Frot-Coutaz added.

“Effectively, Cheryl was with us for two cities and when we air those two cities, she’ll be in the scenes,” Frot-Coutaz added. “There’s not a big explanation. Sometimes you have guest judges and they’re there for a couple of cities and you don’t dwell on the judges… It’s about the talent; it’s about the auditions; it’s about the contestants.”

“The X Factor” USA premiers on FOX on September 21.

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Here’s a lovely video of Cheryl and The X Factor US team at FOX TV Upfronts on 16th May 2011. Shows a few little clips of the first 2 days of the US X Factor auditions including clips of Cheryl Cole.

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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Cheryl Cole is set to make a return to the US ‘X Factor’.

The 27-year-old singer – who was sensationally sacked from the talent series last month – has seen Fox TV bosses make a U-turn in their decision to axe her from the judging panel after show chief Simon Cowell persuaded network executives to give her another chance.

While the reason Cheryl was axed from the panel is believed to be down to worries over her strong North-East England accent and lack of chemistry with fellow judge Paula Abdul, bosses are reportedly concerned they’ve made a “big mistake” after watching footage of the brunette beauty at the auditions.

With the ‘Promise This’ hitmaker expected to return to the show when the auditions start again in New Jersey on Wednesday (08.06.11), Nicole Scherzinger – who was believed to have taken over from Cheryl on the panel alongside Paula, Simon and L.A. Reid – will return to her role as co-host.

An insider told the News of the World newspaper: “This is the biggest surprise of the lot – Cheryl is back. Who could possibly have predicted this – it appeared that Simon had dumped Cheryl for good?

“But behind the scenes Simon has been wooing Cheryl. And key executives at Fox all realised they had made a big mistake. They have been watching the tapes of her at the American auditions and realised that she could be a huge star over there.”

Cheryl’s previous contract with Fox will reportedly be upheld, with the star continuing with the auditions and returning for the twice weekly live shows in the autumn.

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Singer Cheryl Cole has reportedly upset US fans by sitting next to Simon Cowell on the US X Factor panel.

The 27-year-old star recently joined the line-up on the show alongside Cowell and his former American Idol co-star Paula Abdul as well as music producer LA Reid.

It’s claimed fans are upset that Cole has taken the seat next to Cowell leaving Abdul further down the panel line.

A source said to Britain’s MailOnline: ‘The fans are angry because Cheryl is sitting next to Simon. They call Paula and Simon ‘Saula’ and think that Cheryl is splitting them up.’

However Cole has made a popular start with US fans.

The source added: ‘Cheryl is still proving a hit and winning over lots of fans. Paula has taken it on the chin and her and Cheryl have been ganging up on Simon and LA Reid.’

Source | Twitpics from Yday filming 1 & 2

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!