psychedelicagno: Simon Cowell: Cheryl Cole's a star and I want to stay close friends

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Simon Cowell: Cheryl Cole's a star and I want to stay close friends

Simon thinks he and Cheryl can remain on good terms

The X Factor 2008 launch: Cheryl Cole looks up to her fellow judge

Simon Cowell: Cheryl Cole's a star and I ant to stay close friends

Simon Cowell wants to save his friendship with Cheryl Cole despite their The X Factor falling-out.

Cheryl, 27, was dropped from the US show, then refused a chance to return to the UK series, despite being offered Simon's dressing room.

'I had a
text from her last Wednesday. She said she felt let down but at the time
she undestood that it was a professional decision,' says Simon, 51.

'I replied saying
this was never personal or saying you were terrible. It wasn't that she
was terrible - she was good - I just thought she'd be happier in the UK.

'After
the year she'd had with Ashley and the whole malaria thing, you either
shut it down and go for it or you have to be with your friends and
family to deal with it.

'We are close friends. I still hope we are
but sometimes when you're that close, when you're making these
decisions with someone's life you have to be certain.

'I stand by what I
said to her. I hope we're still close friends.

'I'm sure if she was here
now there would be a frank discussion, but will I work with her again?
Definitely. She's a star.'

Simon reveals that Cheryl seemed tempted by the offer to return as a judge on The X Factor UK.

'She
was certainly interested as we exchanged a few texts and she asked if
she could have my dressing room at the studio and I said "of course".

'But
when the story got out, it changed everything.'

Nicole Scherzinger, 32, has also now been confirmed as Cheryl's replacement in the US.

SEE VIDEO Ant and Dec confront Simon Cowell on Britain's Got Talent>>

Simon Cowell and Cheryl Cole | Pictures | Photos | New