Simon Cowell has claimed that he helped Cheryl Cole hit the big time by letting her on the UK X Factor.

Despite dumping her however from the US version of the TV talent show, Cowell told GQ that the door is "permanently open" with regards to the pair working together in the future. He said:

"I always said to her that the door is permanently open, but it is entirely up to her what she wants to do."

He continued: "To be honest with you, even though we went through that pretty horrible period, I could look Cheryl in the eye and say [that] what I did do for her in those two years really propelled her into a different league."

Cowell also admitted regret over the way Cole's X Factor US capitulation occurred, saying that she was upset over it all. He said:

"We still have that connection. And that's why we fell out so badly, because when you're really, really close and you trust someone and you feel that person you trust has let you down - and she did feel that I had let her down - it hurts. It hurt me that she was upset, and I didn't want that to happen. It all ended pretty badly, to be honest with you."