Cole ‘excited’ at ‘X-Factor’ return
The singer said she was “happy and excited” to be back with the talent search show, which has seen a massive slump in its audience since she bowed out.
Cole — who has now buried the hatchet with Cowell after she was dumped from a US version of the series before it was even broadcast — is reported to have signed a deal for £1.5m (€1.2m).
Both Cowell and the former Girls Aloud star quit the show after the 2010 series to launch a new version across the Atlantic. But she was dropped during the audition stages, amid claims that Americans could not understand her Newcastle accent, and the pair fell out.
Her return to the UK show was announced by Cowell with a message posted online, which said: “It’s official. Cheryl is back. Most importantly, she is a brilliant judge of talent.”
And Cole, 30, confirmed the news by posting picture of herself pretending to throttle the programme’s creator, with a message which said: “Guess what. I’m baaaacccckkkkk.”
Cowell announced recently that he would be returning to the series, after signing a new deal with ITV to continue broadcasting The X Factor.
It is hoped the pair’s return will stem the huge exodus of viewers. The duo’s last series in 2010 had an audience of 17.2m watching Matt Cardle crowned the winner, but that figure had dropped by 7.5m for the climax of the 2013 series when Sam Bailey won.
And the series average audience dropped from 14.1m in 2010 to just 9.5m last year.
Cole said: “I’m very happy and excited to be returning to The X Factor. I’m inspired and ready to find new talent and potential pop stars. It’s going to be a fun series.”
And Cowell said: “I am so happy that Cheryl has agreed to join The X Factor again.”
Louis Walsh, who announced he was quitting the show but may have had a change of heart, wrote on Twitter: “It’s official. Cheryl is back. Oh no.”
