The Pussycat Doll insists she only discovered she had replaced Cheryl Cole through reading the newspapers like everyone else
It wasn't just the public who were left in the dark while the Cheryl Cole X Factor saga unravalled - Nicole Scherzinger has revealed that she didn't know she was set to replace the singer until she read it in a newspaper.
The Pussycat Dolls singer explained during an interview on the Graham Norton show: ‘I’m kind of finding out along with everyone else. It’s kind of crazy to read about it in the newspaper first.’
The announcement was made by Syco, Fox and FremantleMedia North America in a joint statement on Monday afternoon.
It read: ‘Nicole Scherzinger will be replacing Cheryl Cole on the judging panel of The X Factor. Nicole will join Simon Cowell, L.A. Reid and Paula Abdul on their search across America to find the next global superstar or group to win the life-changing $5million recording deal.
‘Nicole has previously joined Simon Cowell as a guest judge on The X Factor for the UK version of the show in 2010. Steve Jones will act as sole host of The X Factor.'
Nicole stood in for Cheryl in 2010 when the Geordie singer was ill with malaria, and was a favourite for a spot on the X Factor USA panel before Ms Cole initially bagged the gig.
The singer is looking forward to working with Simon again, enthusing to Graham Norton: 'He is someone you can learn a lot from. But when we are in that room it’s all about the music and the talent and I focus on the contestants, its what I am really passionate about.'
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