Speculation that had been mounting suggesting that Cheryl Cole would return to the UK X Factor appears to have come to a close after it was announced that she missed the deadline to accept the offer. Its is believed that the producers at ITV had offered Cole the chance to have her old role back on the judges panel but a deadline was placed in order to ensure a decision was made quickly. Speculation is now suggesting that this deadline was missed and that Cole will now not feature on the show; ITV are expected to confirm this in the coming days.

Cole had been offered the job role back after she was axed from the US version of the show. New to the States this year the X Factor has launched in competition with the show American Idol. Simon Cowell has invested heavily in ensuring that the show transfers from the UK to the US in a seamless way. Although tension has now been created after Cole was removed of her role as a judge, with little reasoning being provided other than the US public appear not to have accepted her as a judge. There have been suggestions that some of the public had complained that they could not understand her thick Geordie accent, although this has not been confirmed.

A close relationship had been forged between Cole and Cowell and now appears that this may be in tatters. The two have worked closely previously on the UK version of the show and Cowell had battled hard to encourage producers to sign Cole for the US version. It is believed that it was Cowell who delivered the bad news to Cole and their friendship is now in jeopardy according to press reports.

ITV had apparently offered Cole in the excess of £2 million to rejoin the UK version of the show, which may also be facing difficulties with viewers this year. The only judge that remains from previous X Factors shows is Louis Walsh.

It is believed that Cole will keep the money she was paid to appear on the US version of the X Factor, this is believed to have been around £1.2 million.