Pop mogul Simon Cowell admitted how he began negotiations to put Cheryl Cole back on the UK X Factor as she did not appear at ease on the US version of the hit show.

“It wasn’t that I was going to fire her. I saw a window, an opportunity – which was the UK show – and I thought it could help both situations but unfortunately it worked out the way it did. I don’t think we have fallen out."

"I had one text from her. What the first text said is between her and I. She was off but wished me well. When you have to make the decisions it is tough. The great thing for her is that she can now walk onto any television show. When we worked together it was fantastic, it really, really was. I would like to be friends again of course."

Cheryl's limited stint as a judge on the U.S show ended after just only two weeks as it was reported that Americans had trouble understanding her accent. Cowell has since insisted that the decision to drop her from the show was not solely his.

He stated negotiations for a UK return had progressed so far that he would allow Cheryl to use his dressing room. Cowell added, "We were motoring ahead. Then it all got leaked and then everything just kind of closed up. After that she was re-offered to come back on the show in America".

“I didn’t have any contact with her and I made a decision after the final of Britain’s Got Talent to call her manager, to ask if everything was cool, did she actually want to come back because I hadn’t heard from her – and he wouldn’t tell me. So I said look, unless I hear from her by midnight the following day I can’t do anything with this. So she turned it down twice.”

Cowell also offered Cole the opportunity to judge on Britain's Got Talent. He said, "She basically had cold feet. She said yes and then two days before she basically said this is not for me"

Watch footage from this year's X Factor below: