[starttext]
By DAVID DERBYSHIRE
Good to go: Cheryl Cole leaving The X Factor studio after Sunday's live sing-off. But is she planning on leaving the show for good?Cheryl Cole is on the verge of quitting The X Factor after this series to concentrate on her music career, it is thought.
The 27-year-old, who has come under attack from fans and finalists this series, is on the brink of launching her pop career in the U.S. which would mean spending more time than ever across the Atlantic, trying to break the U.S. market.
Despite her commitments to the ITV reality show, she made a 36-hour trip to Los Angeles this month, after a last-minute call from the U.S. arm of record firm Universal.
The Mail has learned that she is close to signing a U.S. record contract with the company.
Meanwhile, Simon Cowell is still keen to give Cheryl a judging role on the U.S. series of The X Factor which will launch next year.
Bosses from Fox network, which will screen the show, flew to Britain last week to watch the show live for the second time this series – and to scout Mrs Cole.
A show source said: ‘Cheryl is hot property and breaking America is the next obvious step in her career, whether she does The X Factor or not.
Last time on the panel? Cheryl - pictured promoting England's bid to host the 2018 world cup - may not return to the showSimon adores Cheryl and has told friends it is a “good bet” she will be joining him, but he has to persuade the Fox executives.’
She had been thinking of making this her last series of the ITV show so she could concentrate on starting a family with her husband Ashley, before they divorced, it was thought.
Last night, a source close to Mrs Cole said: ‘We have not yet started talking about the next series.’
source: dailymail
[endtext]