Just a day after her appointment as a judge on X Factor USA was confirmed, Cheryl Cole has jetted out of London.

Accompanied by her assistants at Heathrow Airport, the singer looked like she couldn't wait to board the 11 hour flight to Los Angeles.

The 27-year-old singer wore a pair of yellow harem pants, towering buckled ankle boots and blue striped T-shirt and kept her eyes under cover in a pair of aviator shades.


Alreet America! Cheryl Cole arrives at Heathrow Airport to board a flight to Los Angeles ahead of her new role on X Factor USA

Following months of speculation, Cole was confirmed yesterday as a judge on the new U.S version of the hit British show alongside Simon Cowell and Antonio 'LA' Reid.

Cheryl, 27, has already voiced her excitement about the new role searching for the talent America has to offer and said she is ready to battle it out against Cowell on the first series.

Cole said: 'I’m so excited to be taking part in the American version of The X Factor. I absolutely love it here in the UK, and with the talent they have out in America, I’m sure we’re going to find someone very special.'

She added: 'I can’t wait to get started. I just can’t decide whether I am more excited to find and nurture the talent or for the unbelievable amount of amusement and entertainment I will have watching Simon doing everything and anything he can to beat me.

'He’s tried to beat me for three years in the UK, and hasn’t even come close. His ego must be so bruised. America is gonna love this.'


I'm in! Cheryy, seen in new promotional stills for the show, is excited to be heading Stateside for the X Factor USA where she will sit next to Simon Cowell and LA Reid on the judging panel

Cowell, who has championed the Geordie singer in the U.S., said: 'I’m thrilled for Cheryl. She is massively excited about this show, and has been fantastic to work with.'

He added: 'She is also a complete brat! Most importantly, this girl can spot talent.'

Yesterday's announcement ends months of speculation over whether Cole's Newcastle accent would prove problematic for viewers across the pond.

Fox bosses have sung the Parachute singer's praises. Mike Darnell, President of Alternative Entertainment, Fox Broadcasting Company, said: 'She’s an incredibly talented artist and performer, as well as a style icon, and she has that special charisma that draws in fans around the world.

'Cheryl’s charm and chemistry with Simon have been a key part of the overwhelming success of ‘The X Factor’ in the UK, and we can’t wait to welcome her to the U.S. on our air.'

Executive producer Cecile Frot-Coutaz said: 'As a young artist whose talent show discovery led to almost immediate stardom, Cheryl’s career exemplifies the promise of The X Factor.




'Her empathy and passion for identifying and nurturing undiscovered talent has made her a huge hit with British audiences, and I have no doubt America will fall in love with her beauty, her accent and her incredible chemistry with Simon Cowell.'

However, some people have suggested Cheryl's strong Geordie accent will cause problems with US viewers.

After hearing the news today, Piers Morgan offered his help, tweeting: 'Congrats to my friend Cheryl Cole on landing US X Factor judging gig. Am available for elocution lessons whenever you like.'

Cole has proved a skilled judge, winning the UK version of the show twice, first in 2008 with Alexandra Burke and in 2009 with Joe McElderry.

While many were worried about her lack of profile in the U.S. it has also been reported that her song Parachute will be featured on the hit musical show Glee - which has covered hit songs by Rihanna, Madonna and Britney Spears.


Great chemistry: Fox bosses have praised Cheryl's talent as a judge and have said America will love the way she interacts with Simon Cowell

The confirmation about her X Factor role comes only days before auditions are held this Sunday, May 8, in specially-built high-definition recording studios in Honolulu, Phoenix, Nashville, Anchorage, Kansas City and Denver.

Auditions will continue in Dallas on May 26.

The U.S. version of The X Factor is set to be the biggest and best yet with the winner scooping a recording contract worth $5 million.

Warner Music bought by Len Blavatnik for $3.3bn

Edgar Bronfman and the management team of Warner Music are expected to stay on the New York music major behind Cee Lo Green and Plan B, after his friend Len Blavatnik completes an agreed $3.3bn offer for the world's number three music company.

Blavatnik's Access Industries won an auction to buy the company with a friendly bid worth $8.25 a share, in a deal that will immediately trigger expectations that under the fresh ownership, Warner Music will try again to bid for EMI, the fourth-ranked music group under the temporary ownership of Citigroup.

Access Industries will assume Warner Music's $2bn of debts, and provide about $1bn of equity, to buy out a company that has been controlled by Bronfman and a group of private equity investors since they bought the business back in 2004 from media conglomerate Time Warner for $2.6bn.

The idea is to ensure that the bid does not overload Warner Music with debt, leaving it the headroom to pursue EMI if it desired. However, sources close to Access Industries say that there is no need for Access/Warner to make a move on the British company to justify the purchase price.

The Access Industries bid is backed by UBS and Credit Suisse – but there were some suggestions that a third bank, Bank of America, pulled out of providing financing at the last minute. Bank of America declined to comment on the rumours.

Russian-American businessman Blavatnik – a major petrochemicals investor, with a stake in TNK-BP – has also occasionally bought media assets. Access has long held a controlling stake in Top Up TV, the pay-TV business, and was an investor in Perform, the recently floated digital media company.

He also knows Warner Music well, having been a board member for four years up and until 2008, and is sufficiently close to Bronfman to have paid about $50m to buy an Upper East side townhouse from the Warner Music chief executive in 2007 – one of the most expensive house purchases in New York history.

Access Industries saw off competition from the billionaire Gores brothers, and a complex bid fronted by Sony Music. Thomas H Lee Partners, Bain Capital Partners and Bronfman, who together hold approximately 56% of the company's outstanding shares, have agreed to vote in favour of the sale. The venture capitalists recouped their original equity investment at the time of the flotation in May 2005 – but returns have been modest since.

However, Warner Music has struggled to make headway with Wall Street since, as falling music sales stemming from ongoing piracy have seen the industry slump. Warner's board turned down a $31-a-share offer from EMI in 2006 after a bid battle that saw Warner and EMI bid for each other – but since 2007 the stock has languished at below $10.

Blavatnik said: "I am excited to extend my longstanding involvement with Warner Music. It is a great company with a strong heritage and home to many exceptional artists. I look forward to working closely with the many talented people within the company."

Bronfman added: "We are delighted that Access will be the new steward of this outstanding business."

Worries about the possibility of a renewed bid for EMI by Warner Music have already prompted Impala, the trade body representing the world's smaller labels, said that they expected the European Commission to take a close look at any deal that reduced the number of majors from four to three. The executive chair of Impala, Helen Smith, said that she hoped that Warner Music would "now enjoy a sound financial future" but added that "any attempt to combine EMI with Warner would similarly be blocked unless there are substantial remedies to solve the competition problems."