Tuesday, 21 July 2009

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Cheryl Cole's week in LA

What did Mrs Cole get up to Stateside last week? Only Now was there!

Cheryl Cole could scarcely believe it when she was greeted by hundreds of fans and dozens of paparazzi at LAX Airport

Cheryl Cole touched down in LA last Tuesday and signalled her intent to become the biggest British export since Simon Cowell. However, she wasn’t prepared for the reception she received from fans who’d waited patiently at LAX airport.

‘I thought no one knew me, it’s just unreal,’ we heard her say to aides as she walked through arrivals and signed autographs.

The Girls Aloud singer’s in the States for two weeks, primarily to work on her solo album with Black Eyed Peas frontman and producer Will.i.am.

However, stories of Cheryl fronting a US version of The X Factor are nothing more than ‘hot air’ according to our source because Simon’s production company Syco doesn’t want to give her a US break until she’s more comfortable and experienced in TV.

So Cheryl, 26, must decide if she’s to move forward without Simon’s guidance and join one of his rivals, such as Endemol, which makes Big Brother and Deal Or No Deal.

‘Cheryl’s being pulled in a lot of directions right now, but does she do this with or without Simon Cowell?’ our source says.

‘Simon’s intent on keeping Cheryl in the family, but because she’s so young, he doesn’t want to force her on American audiences yet. He’s taking the “Leona Lewis approach” of slowly introducing her to the key executives over here. He’s thinking long term.’

Her fellow X Factor judge Dannii Minogue, 37, also spent two days in LA last week. She has asked for Simon Cowell’s help in cracking America and has lined up business meetings with TV executives.

Dannii’s also been influenced by her sister Kylie, 41, who’s in New York viewing properties with her fiancé Andrés Velencoso and wants Dannii to help publicise her US tour, which begins in September.

Our source says: ‘Kylie’s encouraged Dannii to go for the American market because they’ll have more impact in a two-pronged attack. This LA trip is very much a joint Minogue business plan!’

See all the new photos of Cheryl Cole in Now magazine dated 27 July 2009 - out now!