Cheryl Cole has reportedly been offered £10M to join the judging panel of Simon Cowellto sign his Geordie sidekick, who isn’t well known across the pond. But a clause in the contract means that they can replace her with an American star if she doesn’t prove popular with viewers.

Cheryl has also been warned that she must take lessons to tone down her thick accent. According to reports, she must also give up control of her styling and fashion choices to American experts.

A show insider told News Of The World: “Simon is the boss of this show. He gets what he wants and he wants Cheryl. The money you make on American TV is huge, but there’s also a huge risk. The way American contracts are gives Fox the chance to opt out if viewers don’t take to her. But Simon won’t let that happen.”

It’s thought that an official X Factor announcement could come as soon as next week.