Girls Aloud singer Cheryl Cole has been named as the new judge on The X Factor, replacing Sharon Osbourne who quit last week.

She will become one of the four judges on the ITV show in a deal which insiders suggest could be worth in the region of £800,0000.

Cole, 24, will join Simon Cowell, Louis Walsh and Dannii Minogue on the fifth series of the hit ITV1 reality show.

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Has she got the X-Factor? Cheryl Cole during the 'Girls Aloud: Tangled Up' tour this month. She's poised to take over from Sharon on the hit ITV show

The move follows a torrid year for Cole, after her well documented marriage problems with footballer Ashley Cole came under the spotlight.

Her decision to sign up for the hit reality will also add to speculation that all girl group Girls Aloud will split in the coming months.

There have already been rumours about the band breaking up and Cole recently recorded a hit song with US rapper Will.I.Am.

Other reports have suggested she has been looking at a solo music career.

A spokeswoman for Cheryl Cole yesterday refused to comment on the future of the band.

Yesterday's appointment came just days after Osbourne announced she would be leaving the show.

Her departure came amid claims of a row over her pay demands and her deteriorating relationship with fellow judge Dannii Minogue.

Osbourne was said to have demanded an estimated £500,000 pay rise to carry on with the show.

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She is thought to have wanted a £2million contact to do this year's show, which the production company reportedly refused.

Friends close to Osbourne denied these claims saying she felt four years on the show was enough and pointed to the demands of her American TV work.

Cole was seen as the front-runner for the role along with  Spice Girl Mel B.

Osbourne, 55, had given Cole her backing to replace her.

The new series of The X Factor goes into production tomorrow with London auditions at the Emirates stadium.

The X Factor goes on air in September and runs through to the end of the year.

An insider had claimed of Osbourne's departure: 'It is very simple - she is massively jealous of Dannii Minogue because she is young, glamorous and there is a great chemistry between her and Simon.'

Miss Osbourne's relationship with Cowell is still said to be fine and she is currently appearing as a judge on America's Got Talent.

In her statement last week, Osbourne thanked Cowell and the British public for their support 'during what's been an exciting ride'.

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Sharon says working on the X Factor 'was the best four years of my life' (above with Louis Walsh, Dannii Minogue and Simon Cowell)