Just eight years ago, one was the girl band queen and talent show judge, the other a naive young pop wannabe hanging on her every word.

Not any more. Since Geri Halliwell gave 19-year-old Geordie lass Cheryl Tweedy her break in Girls Aloud on Popstars:

The Rivals, the careers of both women have veered in opposite directions. While chart-topper.

Cheryl has gone on to become the nation's sweetheart and ultimate X Factor judge, mum-of.

One Geri, 37, has struggled to maintain anything like as high a profile. The power gap was no better illustrated as they were reunited yesterday in Glasgow for the X Factor auditions.

Cheryl, 26, ruled the roost. In her leopard print mini dress, she made sure all eyes were on her. Geri, stepping in as Dannii Minogue 's maternity cover, was dresseddown in skinny jeans and a suede jacket.

In 2002, the ex-Spice Girl put Cheryl through to the finals of Popstars: The Rivals. She was filmed at the teenager's Newcastle home breaking the news. Since then, Cheryl has enjoyed a string of huge hits both with Girls Aloud and as a solo artist.

Despite being in Cheryl's shadow, Geri was clearly delighted to be back on a talent show.

She beamed as she came in, ignoring Simon Cowell's jibes that she was "gobby" Spice Girl.

Geri then introduced Cheryl to the crowd. She declared: "She's the girl everyone wants to look like and the girl every man wants to have his arm round." That must have hurt...