Lose 28 Pounds If You Want on X Factor, Exec Told Cheryl Cole

After reports that Cheryl Cole lost her job as judge on the US X Factor because of her thick accent, comes another one: she was fired because she wouldn’t agree to a complete makeover, which was also supposed to involve losing a lot of weight.

On several occasions Cheryl found herself in a position in which she had to defend herself against allegations of an eating disorder, with the British tabs often picking on her for her slender figure and “lollipop head.”

The tables have turned recently, especially since she started recovering from a severe bout of malaria: Cheryl gained some weight and, as the Daily Mail sees it, it had a lot to do with the way she was dumped from X Factor.

Producers told Cole to lose some weight – and to lose it fast – if she wanted to be embraced by American audiences.

Though the star did do her best, it wasn’t enough, because she was supposed to lose about 28 pounds by the time auditions started, which she failed to do.

“Cheryl Cole was under pressure to lose as much as two stone ahead of her ill-fated appearance on the US X Factor, it emerged yesterday,” the Mail writes.

“The 27-year-old singer is said to have been advised by an unnamed executive at the Fox network that she would need a huge image makeover if she wanted to win over audiences stateside,” the tab argues.

Said and done: she reportedly went back on the baby food diet and hired celebrity trainer Tracy Anderson, who previously worked with Madonna and Gwyneth Paltrow, to help her get in top shape.

“However, she looked noticeably more voluptuous as she left the airport in Chicago last weekend following auditions for the talent show,” the Mail writes.

“Just days later she was axed from her role on the US show,” says the tab, hinting that Cole’s weight had something to do with the axing.

Not only did Cheryl get fired front the US version of X Factor, but she’s also been dropped from the original British show, it has emerged today, which means she severed all ties with the show that made her “Britain’s sweetheart.”