Tuesday, 17 June 2008

Cheryl Cole in tears at X Factor auditions

Girls Aloud star finding it tough to hear wannabes' hard luck stories

Cheryl Cole breaks down on set of The X Factor

Cheryl Cole has been having an emotional time at The X Factor auditions this week.

The singer replaced Sharon Osbourne on the ITV show, after she quit over rumoured pay demands.

But insiders say Cheryl's finding it tougher than she’d anticipated.

‘She thought the auditions were going to be a laugh. But when wannabes come on with their life stories it can get quite harrowing,’ an insider tells The Sun.

‘Cheryl has sat there crying quite a lot. It really reminds her of her own background and start in music. She came from a humble home in Newcastle and had to battle to get through Popstars: The Rivals.’

Cheryl, 24, joins judges Simon Cowell, 48, Dannii Minogue, 36, and Louis Walsh, 55, on the panel.

It is thought she’s being paid £250,000 – less than half of Dannii's fee, reports the Sunday Mirror.