Cheryl Cole might have quite a culture shock when she appears on American screens later on this year. If rumours are to be believed, Cheryl may have been selected as one of Simon Cowell’s preferred judges for the American adaptation of the hit reality television singing competition, The X Factor.
The Girls Aloud singer started off her reality television career after she was selected to replace former X Factor judge Sharon Osborne in 2008. With her entries successfully winning the competition two years in a row, the judge has been welcomed by audiences with open arms for bringing a youthful touch to the programme.
The forthcoming American show can’t come soon enough. After years of speculation surrounding when music mogul Simon Cowell would leave American Idol, the record producer announced that he would be bringing the show to American shores, with a tentative launch date of Autumn 2011.
Celebrity gossip columnists have been left scratching their heads though, as the Geordie singer is virtually unknown in the United States. Known in Blighty for her famous run-in with a toilet attendant, and for divorcing one of the UK’s most famous footballers, America could leave Cole feeling like a fish out of water when the show airs later on this year.
Some celebrity news insiders have reported that Cheryl may have difficulty in achieving the same success Cat Deeley has due to her strong Newcastle accent. Some have commented that The X Factor might require subtitling whenever the singer speaks, as audiences have found it difficult to understand some strong British accents.
Famously, the American distributor of the smash hit Brit flick Trainspotting had to include subtitles for Stateside viewers, as they couldn’t understand what the actors were saying due to their thick Scottish accents.
The singer is hot on the heels of other famous faces that have successfully transitioned to presenting or participating in American television programmes. Former children’s television star Cat Deeley successfully transitioned to become a Hollywood personality after being recruited to present the American version of So You Think You Can Dance?
American audiences are waiting with anticipation to hear who the third and possible fourth judges on The X Factor will be, but there is no doubt that Cheryl will benefit from the position. Equally, the singer could also be given the opportunity to launch her Stateside career through the show, with an estimated audience of 20 million viewers waiting for her to ‘Fight For This Love’ of music against the ever-critical Cowell.
