AFP
London-Singer Cheryl Cole is set to return as a judge on TV talent show X Factor after signing a reported £1.5 million deal, it was revealed on Tuesday.
The show’s creator Simon Cowell confirmed the return of the former Girls Aloud band member on Twitter, announcing “It’s official. Cheryl is back,” before adding “Be careful what you wish for!”. He immediately posted another Tweet saying: “Most importantly she is a brilliant judge of talent.”
It comes just days after Cowell announced his intention to return as a judge on the ITV show after a four-year absence, in an effort to reverse falling ratings. Fox TV at the same time announced plans to axe the US version of the show. Cowell, who signed a new three-year deal with ITV last year reported to be worth up to £150 million, last appeared on the show as a judge in 2010 before quitting to launch it in the US.
Cole left the British show in 2011 to host the US version, but was controversially dropped from the programme within weeks of joining amid reports that American viewers were struggling to understand her Geordie accent. The 30-year-old, who is said to have now patched things up with Cowell after they fell out over her ousting, on Tuesday posted a picture of them both on photo sharing website Instagram in which she pretends to throttle him.