Looking worryingly thin and steering clear of any mention of her love woes, the embattled star was keen to talk about her own success as a solo star. But while doing so, Cole described the band as ‘a girl group I was with for seven years’, sparking a flurry of web rumours that she had abandoned Girls Aloud once and for all. The 26-year-old made her faux pas on Danish TV as she spoke in public for the first time since her marriage meltdown.

She performed on the country’s own version of The X Factor and told viewers how good it felt to reach the top of the charts under her own steam. Reflecting on her three group No.1 successes, she told the TV host: ‘The previous three tracks were with a girl group I was with for seven years – so to be No.1 solo was crazy, like the best feeling in the world.’

But a spokesman for the group quickly cleared up her reference and insisted Chezza hasn’t walked... yet. ‘Cheryl is still a member of Girls Aloud. She was just putting her solo No.1 into context for an audience that would not be aware of Girls Aloud,’ said the spokesman.

The star is set for a showdown with hubby Ashley this week at their Surrey mansion. Victoria Beckham has publicly offered a helping hand. Cheryl is ‘fantastic’ and would come through this ‘stronger than ever’, she told one newspaper.