It's finally been confirmed that Cheryl Cole is indeed out of the US version of X Factor.
FOX, Fremantle, and Syco TV have released a statement confirming that former host Nicole Scherzinger will be replacing the British pop star on the judging panel, which also features Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, and L.A. Reid.
The Internet was abuzz with reports that the producers wanted Cheryl Cole back, but it is clear now that those plans fell through. She was allegedly fired from the series two weeks ago, but there was no confirmation from either side.
The question now remains whether Cheryl will receive the money she was promised in her contract, or if the producers found a loophole to prevent paying her.
Now that she's out of both versions of X Factor, will there be a Girls Aloud reunion?
The cat-and-mouse game between ousted judge Cheryl Cole and the X Factor producers continues!
According to an exclusive report by The Hollywood Reporter, Cheryl Cole is being asked by Fremantle North America, the show's production company, to visit the U.S. Embassy in London to apply for a work visa in order to do the show. A source close to Cheryl claims that she was never fired from the show and that Cheryl is apparently in the process of getting her visa.
The source is also claiming that Fremantle is ultimately trying to avoid breaching the $2.4 million contract they signed her to and paying her out, calling it a "chess match".
Meanwhile, over in the UK, the judges of that version of X Factor are claiming that Cheryl Cole is fine and she will bounce back. Apparently she spoke to both Louis Walsh and new judge and Take That member Gary Barlow about her "firing".
Once again, this all smells of either a publicity stunt or a really elaborate test of Cheryl's popularity.
Keep it locked here as this catastrophe continues to unfold before the September premiere.
Cheryl Cole and Paula Abdul at first X Factor auditions
(photo courtesy of Daily Mail Online)
The Cheryl Cole/US X Factor drama just keeps getting worse and worse.
Now Paula Abdul, who was the last judge announced for the show, is claiming she had no idea that her co-judge was reportedly sacked.
The former American Idol judge, when asked about Cheryl during an interview in Singapore, reacted with surprise, claiming that her traveling has prevented her from having any information on the subject.
"You probably know more than I do," Paula said.
Paula also came to Cheryl's defense: "All I can tell you is that she is lovely and I was really excited about the relationship and friendship we were forging. And regardless I am really looking forward to continuing that. She's wonderful."
One of the reasons given for Cheryl's firing from the series was her lack of chemistry with Paula, so her advocacy for Cheryl certainly raises an eyebrow.
Once again, there has been zero confirmation from an official source, so my theory that this is a hoax still stands. Meanwhile, British tabloids are now claiming that the British X Factor is holding off on announcing its judging panel, hoping Cheryl will return to the program.
Unless you went to Cabo and had no internet access for the past few days, then you've heard (hopefully from me first) that British pop star Cheryl Cole has been fired from her judging position on the American edition of X Factor. The shocking decision to sack the beauty comes three weeks after the announcement that she was hired, and days after she was last seen at the auditions.
The report originated from the reliable blog TMZ, and spread like wildfire. Nearly every news outlet, even the New York Times, was reporting the news, only citing TMZ's original post. They claimed that Cheryl was sacked because of her accent and the supposed poor chemistry she had with other judges, Paula Abdul in particular.
What is particularly confusing about this mess is that no one, and I mean no one is actually able to confirm from official sources, like FOX or Simon Cowell. Calls to set the record straight through Twitter were ignored. No one is delivering any information, despite the continuation of the auditions, this time in Dallas.
While reports from Britain claim Cheryl is back on their side of the pond, no one, except the usual suspect sources, is offering any details about why she was fired, and what her future plans are.
The silence regarding such a hot button topic makes me wonder whether this isn't a clever ruse on Simon Cowell's part to drum up interest for his new show.
Numerous sources are reporting that British pop star Cheryl Cole has been fired from the American version of X Factor.
The decision to sack the Girls Aloud member comes only weeks after she was announced as a judge, after months of nailbiting negotiations. According to TMZ.com, the primary reason for Cheryl Cole's firing was because of her Geordie accent, which worried producers. Apparently, they believed that viewers would have a difficult time understanding Cheryl during the show.
TMZ is also reporting that Cheryl will be replaced by current host Nicole Scherzinger of the Pussycat Dolls. She previously covered for Cheryl on the British version of the show when she became ill with malaria last year.
Personally, I think this is an absolutely horrible move, considering how far they've taken the show already. I was looking forward to X Factor just to see Cheryl Cole gain success in America, and now they are snatching it away. I also don't appreciate the accent excuse. I can understand her just fine, and America would have too.
Absolutely fail of a decision, but I am still hoping that it is a just a rumor.
I'll update this post with official confirmation from Cowell or FOX.
The British pop star lands the last #1 single of the 2010 BWU Singles Chart with "The Flood", the second single from her sophomore album Messy Little Raindrops. This is her second #1 single after "Promise This", making her the third artist to have two #1 singles on the chart. The success of "The Flood" propelled "Promise This" from #20 all the way to #4, also giving her two singles in the Top 5.
Cheryl's mentee Joe McElderry, who was the Christmas #1 last week, falls to #2 behind her with "Someone Wake Me Up". Alexandra Burke, Cheryl's other mentee, holds firm at #3 with her ballad "The Silence". Rihanna lands three singles in the top 10 fo another week: the highest of them is "Only Girl (In The World)" at #7.
Kanye West has the highest debut of the week with "All of the Lights", entering in at #5. Right behind him at #6 is Pink with "Perfect". After two consecutive singles debuting in the Top 5, Usher debuts at #28 with new single "More". Christina Perri re-enters the chart with her debut single "Jar of Hearts".
BWU Singles Top 10:
The Flood - Cheryl Cole (+4)
Someone Wake Me Up - Joe McElderry (-1)
The Silence - Alexandra Burke (-)
Promise This - Cheryl Cole (+16)
All of the Lights - Kanye West (NEW)
Perfect - P!nk (NEW)
Only Girl (In The World) - Rihanna (+1)
Pretty Girl Rock - Keri Hilson (-6)
What's My Name - Rihanna and Drake (+2)
Who's That Chick - David Guetta feat. Rihanna (-4)
Ok, I'll be honest: Cheryl Cole isn't the best singer in the world. In fact, she wasn't even the best singer in Girls Aloud; she was the second worst (behind Sarah Harding, of course).
Cheryl's vocal chops have been the source a lot of criticism towards her, especially in regards to her role as judge of X Factor. What people seem to forget is that she was chosen as a judge because she has a special quality about her, an "x" factor if you will, that supersedes what she lacks in vocal ability.
It's that quality that helps make "The Flood" the epic pop song that it is. It is an absolutely gorgeous pop ballad, with some of the best metaphorical lyrics I've heard all year. What's particularly great about this song is that it is a ballad, but it works somehow for the dance-heavy pop landscape we are currently in, thanks to it's electro rhythms and syncopation.
As great a song it is, it wouldn't have the same impact sung by anyone other than Cheryl Cole. As she sings the mournful lyrics about lost love, you could easily believe she's singing about her ex-husband Ashley Cole. It's more than a break-up song; it's a song that has both parties taking responsibility for a failed relationship. Considering how humiliated Cheryl was by Ashley's infidelities, the lyric "still I can't help but think I could've saved you from drowning" is even more heartbreaking. Once again, Cheryl is no Mariah Carey, or even Nadine Coyle, but she emotes so powerfully on this song that she makes her vocal technique irrelevant.
"The Flood", although not representative of her strongest musical abilities, is one of the best records she's ever released, because it is her most unique and personal. She may not be able to hold onto water, but her career is as solid as stone.
Cheryl Cole is battling infectious disease malaria
Beautiful British pop star Cheryl Cole is reportedly in dire condition after contracting the disease malaria on a vacation to Tanzania.
The Girls Aloud singer has spent a fifth night in the hospital being treated for the illness after collapsing at a photoshoot last weekend. Originally thought to be exhaustion, her health continued declining until it was clear something was very wrong. She was admitted to the hospital and it was there where she was diagnosed with the terrible illness.
Malaria is a disease that affects over 300 million people worldwide, with about 1 to 3 million fatalities, most of them being children. The mosquitos that carry the disease are most prevalent in Sub-Saharan Africa, where Cheryl vacationed with Dancing with the Stars dancer Derek Hough.
According to OK Magazine UK, a spokesperson for Cheryl has announced that she was moved to the Hospital for Tropical Diseases at University College London in order to receive specialized care. She is expected to be there for a while, and is not expected to return to the auditions for her show X Factor.
Fellow Girls Aloud member Nadine Coyle has asked fans to pray for her stricken bandmate on Twitter. Cheryl's estranged husband, footballer Ashley Cole, seems to be unaware of her plight, partying up in Los Angeles after England's disastrous removal from the World Cup.
Along with X Factor, Cheryl has been working on her second studio album, which was due for release in October. She was also supposed to perform at next month's V Festival in the UK. Both plans might be up for change as she battles this disease.
It must be really good to be Cheryl Cole right now.
The Girls Aloud member and X Factor judge has proven her weight as a solo artist, scoring the elusive chart double on the UK music charts. Her debut single "Fight For This Love" tops the singles chart for a second week, staving off competition from boyband Westlife. Their new single, a cover of Daughtry's "What About Now", came in at #2. Meanwhile, months ahead of its release, Cheryl's second single "3 Words" comes in at #26.
On the albums chart, Cheryl tops with her first effort 3 Words, selling over 125,000 copies. Her album beat out competition from Canadian crooner Michael Buble and Michael Jackson's movie soundtrack, which come in at #2 and #3 respectively.
Not all of the news is good, though. The UK press has savaged Cheryl Cole's outfit at Saturday's X Factor show.
Then again, with a chart double, I doubt she really cares.
UPDATE: According to British tabloid News of the World, Cheryl has signed a US record deal with Interscope Records to release 3 Words. The lead single will reportedly be UK second single "3 Words" featuring Black Eyed Peas frontman Will.i.am.
Girls Aloud singer and X Factor judge Cheryl Cole has come out on top of FHM Magazine’s annual “Sexiest Women in the World” poll.
Nearly 10 million people voted in the 15-year old poll, and Cole came as the victor, becoming the first Briton to top the chart in three years. Last year, Transformers vixen Megan Fox topped the list, and came in second this time around.
Cheryl Cole has seen her public profile boosted in the last year. Her footballer husband Ashley Cole’s infidelities garnered her much public sympathy. An appearance on Will.i.am’s “Heartbreaker” helped catapult the single into the UK Top 5. Her fame reached a fevered pitch when she was chosen by Simon Cowell as a judge on the hugely popular reality show The X Factor, where she mentored the season winner, Alexandra Burke. Her success on the program has prompted rumors that Cheryl is planning a launch in the US with Simon’s help. It was confirmed this week that Cheryl would be recording a solo album during Girls Aloud’s downtime.
Also in the Top 10 are Britney Spears and Slumdog Millionaire star Frieda Pinto.
I couldn’t agree more with this.