SIMON Cowell is sensationally swooping for Cheryl Cole as he brings his brutal X Factor revamp to the British show. The singer he dumped from the US series last year is now his number one target to replace Kelly Rowland, it was revealed last night. The move comes after almost the entire team from American X Factor was axed with host Steve Jones and judges Nicole Scherzinger and Paula Abdul all given the chop last week.
A source close to Simon said: “Cheryl is part of The X Factor family. Formal discussions have yet to take place but if she wants to come back she would be welcomed with open arms.”Simon and Cheryl, 28, made up last year after the Geordie singer flew a cheeky banner past his birthday party teasing him for turning 52.
When asked if that meant he would like her to return, he said: “For sure, if she wanted to – 100%. I think she probably misses me.”Last month, the mogul said the UK panel of Kelly, Louis Walsh, Gary Barlow and Tulisa Contostavlos had not been bold enough.
Now ITV chiefs are braced to hear who he wants to fire – and hire – and they’ve told Simon they won’t oppose a Cheryl comeback. An insider said: “We’d welcome her with open arms. She was hugely popular and she’s totally gorgeous. We’d love to have her back.”But senior executives are adamant too much change could put off the audience. “We didn’t touch Blind Date for 17 years and that did all right,” one grumbled.