Impressed by her performance on Britain’s ‘X-Factor’, the multi-millionaire music and television executive believes the Girls Aloud singer has the potential to become a global superstar and rumours of afternoon tea with the queen of US daytime tv, Oprah Winfrey, are adding fuel to the fire.

There are obstacles to overcome though. In 2003 Cheryl was convicted of assault when she hit a female toilet attendant at a nightclub in Guildford. Cheryl has maintained she acted in self-defence and only reacted when she herself had been punched. In the end she was sentenced to 120 hours of community service, £500 in compensation to the victim and £3,000 court costs. Recently said she ‘would have done it again’ but now the incident has raised its ugly head again and stands in the way of a lucrative US work permit, I wonder if she still feels the same?

She’s won Britain over since taking over from Sharon Osbourne in the hit UK show and to be honest on the few occasions I did watch the last series it was only to watch Cheryl Cole.

In contrast Sharon Osbourne continues to cement her popularity with audiences on both sides of the Atlantic.

Last weekend she threw a glass of juice and then herself at a former glamour model on her hit Rock of Love Charm School programme airing on VH1. Watch the video here. The glamour model later filed a police complaint for alleged assault although no charges have been brought.

My loyalties aren’t divided, I’m a fan of Sharon and Cheryl. They’re both strong women in their private and professional lives and have earned respect equally for both.

When the press reported on her ‘cheating’ husband a few years back, Cheryl stood by him and has worked hard to make her marriage work.

Sharon’s been a family woman all her life. When the glamour model launched a verbal assault on Ozzie, Sharon was quick to declare, ‘They can f*** with me, I don’t give a s***, but not my family!’

Is Sharon the new Cheryl or is Cheryl the new Sharon?