X factor's cheryl cole shuns baby rumours 'thanks, but no thanks'

No matter who takes The X Factor crown tomorrow night, the 11th series of Britain’s most popular talent show has one clear winner – Cheryl Fernandez-Versini  It’s been a wild year for Cheryl

Fernandez-Versini. In March it was announced that she would be re-joining The X Factor judging panel alongside Simon Cowell, Mel B and Louis Walsh after a four-year break. In July, she

stunned the world by announcing that she had secretly married French entrepreneur Jean-Bernard Fernandez-Versini after a whirlwind three-month romance.  Cheryl, who first found fame with pop

group Girls Aloud, has also seen a resurgence in her solo career over the past 12 months, too. In November, her single I Don’t Care, from the album Only Human, shot straight to the top of

the UK Singles Chart. This achievement made history, making Cheryl the first British female artist to have five number one singles in the country. “I’ve had enough time away to re-evaluate

everything and I’m just excited to be back,” she says of Only Human, her fourth studio album which she released last month. “Honestly, it’s my passion and it’s what I love to do so it’s just

exciting this time around. I just wanted to have fun on the whole album, which is what I’ve done.” As The X Factor reaches its dramatic finale this weekend, it’s easy to argue that,

whatever the result, Cheryl will certainly emerge from the show as a winner. Rumour has it that Simon is so keen to secure her return to the panel for next year’s series, she’s already been

offered a contract worth £2 million, a rise from the £1.4 million she was allegedly paid for the current series.  Cheryl’s triumphant comeback comes after a career hiatus that saw her

struggling after her divorce from footballer Ashley Cole, a spell of ill health (she suffered from malaria in 2010) and, the following year, humiliation after she was fired from the panel of

The X Factor USA.  “I went on tour alone and then I went on tour with Girls Aloud, crashed, and needed some time out,” she says. “At that point I hadn’t had a break in 10 years. There’d be

the odd month here or there where we’d have some down time but that was it. Even if we weren’t in public, I was constantly working. So I took some time out and then I started recording the

new album.” Cheryl credits a positive attitude for helping her back to the top. “I’m just not negative minded. I’ve been there and it’s not so healthy,” she admits.  “I actually wrote a song

about that on my latest album. It’s called Live Life Now and it’s basically just saying, from my experience, you never know what’s going to happen or what’s around the corner so you have to

live your life as it’s happening. Be happy living that moment, stop worrying about tomorrow or the next day or what’s gone. It’s called your past because it has passed.” There’s been

widespread speculation that a baby will be next on the cards for Cheryl, although she’s keen to insist that she and Jean-Bernard are in no hurry to start a family. “I’ve got 11 nieces and

nephews so I’ve had them down to my house and after three or four days I’m like, ‘OK, this is enough’,” she laughs. “Thanks but no thanks.” Besides, at the moment Cheryl has enough to keep

her occupied as she and her fellow judges take part in this weekend’s X Factor final. The show’s remaining acts will compete at Wembley’s SSE Arena, where they will perform live in front of

an audience of 10,000, as well as the millions of viewers at home.  At the moment, this year’s X Factor hopefuls can only dream of Cheryl’s fame and fortune. So what are her tips on securing

X Factor success? “Go out there and prove yourself to all of us,” she says. “Just relax, and be confident. _THE X FACTOR: LIVE FINAL, TONIGHT, 8.30PM AND SUNDAY, 8PM, ITV_