The 41-year-old, who was joined by the Girls Aloud star when selecting his final three for his Over-28s category, told The Telegraph that the decision to invite her to briefly return to the show was a no-brainer:

"I wanted her to do the Jubilee with me, and that really went well, and then a few weeks later I thought, it's probably going to be a no, but I'll ask anyway, and she came back saying, "I'm not bothered about the show, but if you want me to do it, I'll do it for you."

“I think the contestants really enjoyed it being her, because she's very fair and works a lot on her gut instinct. It was a bit like having royalty, even all the crew were going, 'Ooh, I can't believe we've got Cheryl.'"

The Take That singer, who will introduce his chosen acts on the series’ first live show tonight, also added that he has a good relationship with the rest of the judging panel:

'We don't all sit in a room and go, "Right, how do we entertain everyone tonight?" I think it's a show designed to make you competitive. It's tremendous fun, but it's also a bit of a game, as long as [that] doesn't come at the cost of the artists.

“If you're playing a game which gets a really good act eliminated, that's where I draw my line. And knowing all [of the judges], I don't believe any one would take that route. I hope not, anyway.”

Tom Bower released a biography about the music mogul earlier this year and it claimed that Cowell thought Barlow was too scripted on the X Factor.

It is also said in Sweet Revenge that the X Factor supremo was irritated by Barlow being awarded an OBE.

Speaking to The Sun, Barlow joked that he will get his own back when his own book comes out. He said:

"Wait until my book comes out! It will be bloody beautiful. I'll get the lot of them."

The Take That star added that he doubts that all of Cowell's alleged remarks are true. Barlow said: "I've had plenty of abuse in the past 22 years. I'm so used to having people saying things about me - then when I actually meet them it turns out they've never said the things. I take it all with a pinch of salt. Gossip and tittle tattle, I've got no time for that."

Speaking to Digital Spy, Barlow explained that it's time to breathe new life into the group and step it up so that it gets taken seriously as a genuinely competitive category:

"Whatever category I have, I take it seriously. I think this is the time for the Overs to have a seriously good year. It has become the joke category in the past and I think this trio will change people's perception of the Overs - the Over-28s."

He is mentoring Melanie Masson, Kye Sones and Carolynne Poole during the live shows round and added that it would be great to have an '80s themed week:

"You know what I think we should have this year? 80s week! Do you know what I mean? I bought all my records in the '80s. Great music."

The Take That star, who will be seen choosing his final three over 28s contestants at the Judges' Houses stage this weekend, told The Sun that he found his first year as a judge rather tough:

“I did come close to quitting, yeah. It was hard. When you become part of this machine, you’re on something that’s moving and you’ve got to try and stay on board. There’s no jumping off.

“There’s a lot of pressure – it really is massive. I remember last year – on Sunday nights in particular – if I knew one of them was in the bottom two, I’d feel so nervous.

“And you’d watch this spaceship swirling around knowing that millions of people are watching and it was out of your hands, and you’d just feel sorry for them.”

But the 41-year-old, who will be joined by Cheryl Cole for this weekend’s two shows, added that he’s determined to have a more enjoyable experience the second time round:

“I just want to have more fun this year – and I have done already. I was on tour while we were doing the auditions last year and it was bloody hard work.

“I always felt miserable when I arrived because I was knackered already. But this year I don’t feel like I’ve done anything yet! It’s been fun.”

The 'Candy' singer revealed last night (September 18) that he is now the proud dad of Theodora Rose Williams - his first child.

He said in a statement: "Praise be, it's Theodora Rose Williams, affectionately known as Teddy...born 3.33pm on 18.9.12, 7lbs 4oz..."

Gary Barlow took to Twitter to congratulate his Take That bandmate and wife Ayda Field, tweeting:

"Massive congrats Rob and Ayda. So happy for you."

The news comes only six weeks after Barlow tragically announced that his fourth child Poppy was delivered stillborn.

The Take That star told The Sun that he found the Spice Girl difficult to deal with when she stood in on the panel at the Liverpool auditions and when asked if he thought she’d be back, he replied:

“I doubt it. And if she is, I may be going.

“She’s crackers. How you see her on TV is exactly how she is in real life. The crowd really didn’t like her. She got booed all day long. She was a bit over-excited.

“She’d been told she was auditioning for the role and, bless her, I think she tried a bit too hard. I do love her for being her though, we had fun backstage. She’s sweet but mad.”

However, the 41-year-old, who recently confirmed that Cheryl Cole joined him for this year’s Judges’ House stage, had kinder words for Geri’s bandmate, Mel B.

“Mel was brilliant. It actually gave me a bit of a holiday the day she was there.

“I’m normally the one who delivers the bad news but she was doing it all so I could just sit there, going, ‘Oh, that’s awful, what she said’ but secretly loving it.”

The 41-year-old star also sat down for an interview with the popular publication and spoke about how he balances his presenting work with his band duties:

"All of sudden you’re not a singer. You’re just you, talking, on telly some weeks people love you and some weeks they hate you. I was worried about being myself. I’ve always been criticised, in a way, for being myself. People have always said I’m boring and all the rest of it and that was sort of playing on my mind."

"My view is that actually this is my hobby job. My real job is I’m in Take That and if ITV or whoever decide that I’m not good enough then I’ll go back to my normal job."

Barlow added that despite being a well-loved figure in the public eye he's never considered himself to be cool: "As a kid, as a teenager, as an adult, I have never, ever been cool. I’ve never bought stuff because it’s cool. I’ve never looked at art because it’s cool. I’ve never been interested in it and. I’ve never been fooled by it."

"I think it’s because I’ve got quite a cynical view of the industry. I know how the cool bands spend more time in the dressing room than we do. I know how it works. So when I see someone spouting off, I just think d***head."

Watch him perform 'The Fresh Prince of Bel Air' theme with Will Smith below:

The Take That singer, who is currently filming the Judges House stage at a country estate in Northamptonshire, let the news slip that the Girls Aloud star would be joining him after he tweeted her about their outfit plans.

He said: "@CherylCole just so we don't clash, I'm wearing the pink suit with the red shoes ;)" 

Cheryl then replied: "@Gbarlowofficial Got you !! ;) see you soon !!!"

The show’s boss Simon Cowell is said to have been unaware that Cole was temporarily returning but wished her well on the same social networking site, posting: "Welcome back Cheryl. X"

Barlow, who is a judge on the show, tragically lost his fourth child on August 4 when baby Poppy was delivered stillborn.

The Take That singer was absent from yesterday's (August 16) press launch for the UK X Factor, which is due to hit screens once again on Saturday (August 18).

Barlow, however, sent a message in which he said he would be watching the show with his family on TV at home. He said:

"Thanks for all the support. I'll be watching the show at home on Saturday with my family and I know you're going to love it. The talent is amazing this year and I'm looking forward to working with and mentoring my acts at judges' homes and on the live shows."

He explained how people seem to think that it's just the all-important Saturday night performance that matters when in fact it's just a very small part of what The X Factor is really about:

"The performance on a Saturday night is the gift after a week of hard work: 'You've done all this work and here's your prize - you get to go on stage and perform. The rest of it is all hard work - interviews, being filmed, working out your song, practising your song and working out how you will translate it to the audience."

"I think a lot of them get a shock. They all arrive thinking they only have to work on a Saturday night so it's a sharp wake-up call when it's not."

Despite the warning, Barlow added that people quickly become conditioned to the demanding schedule and find that it's very rewarding when fully embraced:

"One thing I noticed about last year is that some of the acts take to being in the X Factor environment like ducks to water and they just thrive on it. Every week they come back better and better, whilst there are others that just get worse each week, taking the criticism badly and finding it hard to move forward."

Watch Barlow's performance at the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Concert below:

The Take That star, who yesterday claimed that last year’s contestants were lazy and cocky, told The Sun that he was delighted to now be working with the former Pussycat Doll:

“We’re really pleased to have Nicole on the panel with us. She’s amazing. She really feels like a Hollywood star.

“She got the job because she clicked. She fitted in. With all her experience in the industry and as a judge on the US X Factor, she has definitely earned her place on this.

“I think she’ll be quite good with the contestants. She’s quite emotional, maternal almost.”

However, the 41-year-old, who is set to perform at the Olympics closing ceremony tonight, went on to add that it’s the contestants that should always be the focus of the show:

“To be honest, I think you could have the same four judges every year. I’m not sure the reinvention of the show comes from changing the panel.

“I think it’s more about the contestants. If they’re no good, no one will watch.”

The Take That star, who returns to this year’s judging panel alongside Tulisa, Louis Walsh and new recruit Nicole Scherzinger, told the Daily Mail that he was surprised at how rapidly fame went to some finalists’ heads:

“One of the biggest shocks for me last year was how quickly people become lazy once they get into this competition.

“I found myself thinking, ‘Hold on, this is just the start. You haven't made it yet. Even if you win it is just the start.’"

The 41-year-old, who mentored the likes of Frankie Cocozza and Marcus Collins in his first series as a judge, went on to add:

“It is weird – you take people off the street and put them in this bubble and they start to act like they have arrived. You can see them thinking, ‘I was born to do this, I don't have to work at it.’”

The Take That singer confirmed the tragic news on Monday (August 6), announcing that Poppy Barlow, daughter to wife Dawn, was pronounced dead on August 4.

He said in a statement: "Dawn and I are devastated to announce that we've lost our baby. Our focus now is giving her a beautiful funeral and loving our three children with all our hearts. We'd ask at this painful time that our privacy be respected."

Barlow took to Twitter today (August 8) to thank his fans for their support after the sad news. He said:

"Your kind words and lovely messages are overwhelming. Thank you."

The couple have three other children - Daniel, 11, Emily, 9, and Daisy, 3.

He issued an official statement on the heartbreaking news and explained that baby Poppy Barlow died on August 4:

"Dawn and I are devastated to announce that we've lost our baby. Our focus now is giving her a beautiful funeral and loving our three children with all our hearts."

"We'd ask at this painful time that our privacy be respected."

The couple's three other children are Daniel, 11, Emily, 9, and Daisy, 3, and this tragic event comes just a few weeks after Barlow's bandmate Mark Owen welcomed his third child.

Andrew Lloyd Webber took to social networking site Twitter earlier this evening (August 6) and offered his condolences, writing: "Dearest Dawn & Gary, Madeleine & I are devastated about news of Poppy. Our thoughts & prayers are with you and your family."

Owen's wife Emma Ferguson gave birth to baby girl Fox India on Tuesday (July 24) at 7.45am.

It is the third child the couple have together, following the previous births of Elwood and Willow.

In a statement released on Wednesday (July 25), the family said: "They would like to thank all their friends and family for all the wonderful messages. Mark, Emma, Elwood and Willow are delighted to announce the arrival to the clan of their beautiful new baby girl Fox India Owen."

Gary Barlow meanwhile took to Twitter to congratulate the happy couple, tweeting:

"Massive congratulations to The Owens on the birth of their daughter Fox!"