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Cheryl's X Factor joy causes rift with Ashley

While Cheryl Cole is over the moon to have landed her new job as one of the X Factor judges, her husband Ashley is upset she didn’t consult him first.

Cheryl – who has signed a rumoured £500,000 deal to replace Sharon Osbourne – joined Simon Cowell, Louis Walsh and Dannii Minogue for the first round of auditions for the hit ITV1 reality show last week.

But Ashley, 27, has told pals he’s been left reeling by her decision. A close pal of the Chelsea footballer told Closer: “Ashley was stunned. He’s said that he’s happy for Cheryl and wants to support her, but in reality he’s pretty upset.

“He knows this is great for Cheryl’s career, but his main problem is that she didn’t really consult him. He’s upset she just went ahead and decided to go for it on her own – it just shows how the dynamics have changed in their relationship.”

The couple have been struggling to rebuild their marriage in the wake of the allegations in January that Ashley had cheated on Cheryl, 24, with hairdresser Aimee Walton and glamour model Brooke Healy.

But after months of speculation that they were headed for divorce – neither has been seen wearing their wedding ring since the scandal – it seemed the couple were finally back on track.

At the last concert of the Girls Aloud Tangled Up tour in Birmingham two weeks ago, an onlooker told how the pair were acting loved-up backstage, with their arms wrapped around each other – although they refused to be photographed together.

But Cheryl’s X Factor decision is not just a blow to Ashley’s pride– apparently he’s also frustrated over the timing of the show. The friend explained: “Cheryl will have a hectic schedule with live auditions throughout the summer – so that means the romantic holiday Ash had been planning for them is on the back-burner.

The source said: “There was a time when Cheryl would have put Ashley first, when they would have made such a big decision together.

“Ashley is trying to get their marriage back on track, and this holiday was going to be the first time they’d spent a few weeks alone together without any work commitments.

“Ashley was also hoping Cheryl would regain some of her curves on the holiday – he was going to make sure they were eating plenty of good food. Sometimes he can’t help but say something about how skinny she’s become. It’s really concerned him.”

Now the couple will struggle to get any time together before Ashley’s football training season starts up again in July.

But pals say it’s Cheryl’s new determination to stand on her own two feet that’s really making him edgy. The source said: “She’s got this new confidence– and it’s something Ashley’s having to get used to.

“She’s forgiven him, but he knows she’s not the same girl she used to be. Their relationship is now on her terms, and Ashley feels he’s suffering for it.”

The pal added that 5ft 4 Cheryl, whose weight has plummeted to around 7st, loves all the attention from Ashley about her weight loss. “Instead of being annoyed, she’s enjoying this as a sign of how much he must care for her,” said the pal.

Ashley isn’t the only one left reeling by Cheryl’s X Factor announcement – her Girls Aloud band mates were shocked at the news too.

The girls have been fighting off split rumours for months, but this appears to be the latest indication they’re all making plans for solo careers. Although Cheryl says her new judging role will not have any impact on the band’s future together, in private the girls are concerned.

In a statement, Cheryl said: “The rest of the girls have said they’re right behind me, which is really important for me. So while we get started on the next album, it will be brilliant to be
a judge on The X Factor.”

But a source close to the band said: “Throughout the tour the girls got on really well, and it made all of them realise they should stick together for the foreseeable future – so they were a little surprised when Cheryl decided to go off and do this on her own.

“In private, Sarah told Kimberley she was annoyed Cheryl didn’t consult with the others before accepting, she just consulted their management about the recording schedule.

The source added: “Nadine even said she thought they’d worked hard to move away from the reality TV show label and she didn’t think it was a wise decision for Cheryl. But in public they’re being supportive because they’re determined to make another album.”

By Sue Carter