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Simon Cowell reportedly pushed for Cheryl Cole to be on the X Factor USA judging panel from the start.
Cowell's publicist Max Clifford has claimed that the music mogul has been in discussions with the show's producers ever since rumours of Cole's axing began last week.
Earlier today, it was claimed that Cole had been offered a deal to return to the show from as early as Wednesday this week, despite Nicole Scherzinger allegedly being offered her seat on the judging panel.
"If he has his way, she will be on the show," Clifford told Sky News. "But he's an important part of a very important team, so obviously there are other people with strong views, as in Fox Television, as in Fremantle, and that's what's being discussed at the moment."
Clifford has also denied speculation that the whole situation was a huge publicity stunt orchestrated by Cowell himself.
"I think he's had more headaches over this situation than probably anything in the previous ten years," Clifford explained.
If Cole does rejoin The X Factor USA, Scherzinger is expected to return to her original position of co-host alongside former T4 presenter Steve Jones.
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Nicole Scherzinger has been officially confirmed as Cheryl Cole's replacement on the judging panel of The X Factor USA.
The Pussycat Dolls star has long been in the frame to take over Cole's position and her appointment has been confirmed today by Fox, Fremantlemedia North America and Syco TV.
"Nicole Scherzinger will be replacing Cheryl Cole on the judging panel of The X Factor," a statement read.
"Nicole will join Simon Cowell, L.A. Reid and Paula Abdul on their search across America to find the next global superstar or group to win the life-changing $5 million dollar recording deal.
"Nicole has previously joined Simon Cowell as a guest judge on The X Factor for the UK version of the show in 2010. Steve Jones will act as sole host of The X Factor."
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I hope that this is the last of this saga, fed up with the Will Cheryl, Won't Cheryl saga
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Cheryl has been dumped good and proper by Mr Cowell. He's so fickle and self centred that he picks females like sweeties from a jar but it has come back to haunt him.
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Lee Mead has said that Cheryl Cole's exit from The X Factor USA may have been a publicity stunt.
The theatre actor added to New that if Cole's departure was not pre-arranged, she will definitely get over the disappointment.
Mead said: "The cynic in me wonders if it was all just a PR stunt. When I was in a talent show it did go through my mind that things might be manipulated for the press.
"But if not, she'll dust herself off. [My wife] Denise [Van Outen] knows Cheryl and she's always had nothing but praise for her."
Nicole Scherzinger's ex-manager Jeff Haddad has claimed that his former client was always going to replace Cole and that the Girls Aloud singer was "used as a cog in the wheel to cause hype and publicise the show".
Cole is said to be "annoyed" that Cowell allegedly did not tell her personally about her axe from the show, but instead only sent a "short and brutal" text after she had been spoken to by another executive.
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X Factor USA will launch with a two-night premiere in September.
The new singing competition will kick off with a two-hour episode on Wednesday, September 21 at 8/7c, followed by another two-hour instalment on Thursday, September 22 at 8/7c.
Simon Cowell, who left American Idol to bring X Factor to American screens, will be joined by LA Reid, Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger on the judging panel, while Steve Jones will host the show.
Scherzinger was initially announced as the co-host of the programme but was later named as a judge following the departure of original judge Cheryl Cole.
However, reports have suggested that footage of Cole filmed at the Los Angeles and Chicago auditions before she left the series will still feature in some capacity on the programme.
Auditions for X Factor kicked off in Los Angeles in March, where a record-breaking crowd of thousands turned out for their chance to secure a spot in the show. Further auditions were held in Miami, Newark, Seattle, Chicago and Dallas.
Hopefuls were also given the opportunity to submit a video audition through YouTube or at special MyStudio recording booths across the US.
The winner of X Factor will scoop a record-breaking $5 million recording contract with Sony Music / Syco.
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Dermot O'Leary has revealed that Steve Jones replaced an American presenter on The X Factor USA.
The X Factor UK host, who will return to present the series later this year, missed out on the chance to work on the Fox version of Simon Cowell's competition as he had to confirm his return to the ITV1 show earlier this year.
"I wanted to get the job... I didn't get the job," he told This Morning. "That's about it. The thing is, is that there are too many people unemployed in this country, so I'm not going to start bleating about the fact... that's not the way I was brought up. You don't start bleating about the fact you don't get a job."
O'Leary, currently hosting ITV's Marriage Ref, explained: "The British show starts so early, so you've got to sign very early - so I signed February to start April. The minute I signed that, I thought I've probably counted myself out for the job in America, whether I get it or not. That's the way it worked out."
However, the 38-year-old confirmed that Jones was only hired to host the competition alongside Nicole Scherzinger two days before filming began in May.
"They went with an American," O'Leary said. "That guy didn't work out. He didn't work out about two days before it started. Then Steve went out and [got it], and fair play to him."
It was previously claimed that plans to have High School Musical actor Corbin Bleu take on the role were not well received by 'Poison' star Scherzinger.
Scherzinger has since left her role as co-host, replacing axed Cheryl Cole as a judge. Jones has remained as the sole presenter of The X Factor USA.
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SIMON Cowell has axed another of his favourite girls from the show... Sinitta.
Simon Cowell, who’s now working on the American version of the hit programme, has decided to drop his ex-girlfriend as his helper this year.
Instead he is set to hire pop diva Mariah Carey, 41, to assist him in choosing his acts for the finals of The X Factor USA.
His decision has come like a bolt out of the blue for poor Sinitta.
She’s had that role on the UK show for the last seven years and was hoping he would enlist her services for the US series.
But Sinitta, 42, is determined to fight the move.
She said: “Well, let’s just say feathers will fly if Mariah takes my spot.
“Although she is a mega diva vocally, you can expect another XF USA drama. I won’t just roll over and take it. I hope she can run in high heels.”
Cowell will be jetting to a stately mansion in the UK for the “judges’ homes” stage of the competition on The X Factor USA this summer.
And it’s here where sassy songbird Mariah will join him to choose the best acts from his category.
Meanwhile, Sinitta hasn’t been idle while Cowell has been in the States.
She has relaunched her own search for a star on her website called attinis.com.
The So Macho chart star said: “Mine is more than a singing contest. It’s going to be mega.”
Daily Star
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The US version of The X Factor may not hit British screens until 2012, according to reports.
Fans in the UK could be facing a wait to see the new American show because ITV bosses are apparently concerned it could distract viewers from the homegrown series.
The Sun reports that TV executives are considering airing the Stateside version - which sees Simon Cowell joined on the judging panel by Paula Abdul, Nicole Scherzinger and LA Reid - much later in 2011, or even next year.
An insider told the newspaper: "The last thing bosses want is the American version taking attention away from the UK show."
Meanwhile, this year's UK boot camp looks set to be the biggest ever.
Hopefuls will reportedly be put through their paces at London's Wembley Arena, where they will take part in a week of gruelling workshops starting on August 14.
PA
