Cheryl rules out return to the X Factor in favour of new BBC dance show as show bosses make Rita Ora their top target for the panel

CHERYL Tweedy has ruled out a return to X Factor as bosses identify Rita Ora as their top target for the panel.

I can also reveal Latino superstar Gloria Estefan is in contention for a judging role in Simon Cowell’s shake-up of the ITV show, which has led to producers threatening to ­terminate the contracts of show veterans Louis Walsh and Sharon Osbourne.

Cheryl, who has long been tipped to take over from Nicole Scherzinger for a third stint on the series, has chosen to pledge her allegiance to Simon on his new BBC1 show The Greatest Dancer after conceding she cannot do both.

The X Factor overhaul could also feature Craig David and Louis Tomlinson, who are in talks to take over the second male position, while Alesha Dixon, Kylie Minogue and Mariah Carey have all been approached, along with Rita and Gloria, with a view to filling the female slots alongside Simon.

A show source said: “Cheryl loves X Factor but she enjoyed filming the pilot for new ­BBC ­programme and loved it. The show feels fresh and because it’s a new ­format she is excited by that. Dance has always been a passion for her so it feels right for her.”

Cheryl’s big decision comes as new accounts reveal she spent £200,000 during her year out of the spotlight to have baby Bear. The Geordie saw funds in her company CC Entertainments dip from £1.4million to £1.2million. Simon, below with Cheryl during last year’s show, is keen to speak to Rita about a potential second spell on X Factor, having won the 2015 series when she guided Louisa Johnson to victory.

However, her signing could prove difficult given her touring commitments and the release of her highly anticipated second album.

The pursuit of Gloria is a major surprise, but she would be the ideal signing to give the show some much needed fresh blood.The curveball move is sparked by Simon being a huge fan of the star.

She has talent show ­experience after being a mentor on US show The Next: Fame Is At Your Doorstep alongside Joe Jonas and   Nelly, plus she has a global ­fanbase.
Whatever the outcome, it’s great to see Simon freshening things up.

Look Hugh's heading for No1

THE Greatest Showman soundtrack spent 11 weeks at No1 before being knocked off by George Ezra last Friday.

But it is back with a vengeance and set to top the album AND singles charts this Friday – thanks to ITV’s The Real Full Monty: Ladies’ Night.

Celebrities including Megan McKenna, Victoria Derby-shire and Coleen Nolan stripped off to This Is Me from the Hugh Jackman film for the telly special last Thursday, to raise awareness of breast cancer.

And the inspiring show has peaked interest in the tune, which leapt seven places to No1 yesterday. But it will go down to the wire as the single is just 14 sales ahead of last week’s chart-topper These Days by Rudimental, Jess Glynne and Macklemore.

The soundtrack itself is also on course for the top spot, beating new albums from The Vaccines and Kacey Musgraves. It is one of the best films I have seen for ages. The fact it’s topping the charts makes it even better.

Step up pair split up

CHANNING Tatum has announced his separation from actress wife Jenna Dewan in the most infuriating statement since Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin’s “conscious uncoupling” four years ago.

The couple, who met 12 years ago on the set of Step Up, shared the self-important and cringeworthy declaration on social media yesterday, in which they insisted: “Absolutely nothing has changed about how much we love one another.”

Well clearly it has, or they wouldn’t be ending their nine-year marriage. It’s rather telling that just a month ago Jenna confessed they weren’t “perfect”.
She added: “We fight like other couples. We have days where we don’t really like each other.”

That’s an understatement.

By George, is this Venice?

IT’S been nearly four years since George Clooney tied the knot in Venice, and now the actor’s home life is starting to resemble his time in the watery Italian city.

The £10million Grade II listed mansion he bought wife Amal as a wedding present in Sonning, Berks, right, is close to being submerged by heavy rainfall.Residents in the pretty village were sent flood alert warnings late on Easter Monday after a series of showers caused the River Thames to rise quickly. The Clooneys’ 17th Century home sits right next to the rising water.

The message from the Environment Agency warned: “Be prepared. Levels on the River Thames have been rising today in response to recent rainfall.
“Remain safe and be aware of your local surroundings. Flood waters may be deep and fast flowing.”

The pair, inset, have plunged millions into their British love nest over the past few years, extensively redeveloping it. They added a home cinema, a tennis court, and a 60ft swimming pool.

That could be about to get a bit longer.

The thrill of it

SAM Smith is going to have an easier time walking about in his heels now he’s quit the booze.

The singer posed in his favourite red stilettos on Instagram yesterday for snaps to show off new merchandise such as this tour programme .

Sam has revealed he has given up alcohol in a bid to improve bouts of severe anxiety, which he feared would affect his current Thrill Of It All tour. And these shoes are no doubt playing their part in cheering him up, too – as is marking his six-month anniversary with actor boyfriend Brandon Flynn.

Sam has a whole collection of heels at home, and he has declared: “I feel as much woman as I am man”.

It’s just a pity about those white socks . . .

Em's love and floss

EMILY Blunt wouldn’t appear out of place at the fairground in this outfit. The actress looked like she’d whipped her skirt up in a candy floss machine as she attended the New York premiere of her new flick A Quiet Place.

She walked the red carpet on Monday with husband John Krasiniki, top right, who also plays her husband in the horror film.

This week Londoner Emily revealed pals had warned her that working together with a partner would end in divorce – but she said it actually proved to be a bonding experience.

It’s not the first movie to feature the pair, who married in 2010 – they each had a cameo role in 2011 movie The Muppets

There will have been less tension while shooting that one.

Biz meter: mags

Don't hook it up

Olivia Buckland has told Love Island fiancé Alex Bowan the wedding is off if he breaks her one and only golden rule on his upcoming Amsterdam stag do. She told Star: “He’s going with 20 friends. He’s a rubbish drunk. I’m quite chilled and know there’s a lot that goes on, but sleeping with a pro-stitute would cross the line.”

Strongholden

Amanda Holden grabbed Alan Carr’s privates to save him during a stunt on new show I Don’t Like Mondays. He told Heat: “I had to go down a slide in a bucket and I went too early and Amanda grabbed my c*** to stop me falling. She pulled me up by my crotch. I loved it. I kept falling over again and going, ‘Oops.’ ”

Not a-mused

ZOE Saldana is the latest celeb to talk of her Hollywood harassment experience, telling Cosmo: “It was unfair and uneven, from how you built the part to why you were cast and how you are dressed. I don’t want another man to tell me, ‘You were my muse’. I don’t want to f***ing be your muse. I want you to listen to me.”

Jared alert

THIRTY Seconds To Mars singer Jared Leto tells Music Week about the band’s new album America: “Bono told me, ‘Never book a tour until your album is finished’. Of course, I always book a tour before I finish the album and it becomes the deadline. I don’t know how I would have finished it if I didn’t book the tour.