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X-Factor US: Cheryl Cole's Newcastle twang an issue

Jul 10, 2009, 12:00 GMT

Cheryl Cole. The Girls Aloud singer is keen to make it in the US but TV bosses are worried viewers won\'t be able to understand her Newcastle accent so want her smooth down her regional tones. Solarpix / PR Photos

Cheryl Cole is set to have elocution lessons.

The Girls Aloud singer is keen to make it in the US but TV bosses are worried viewers won't be able to understand her Newcastle accent so want her smooth down her regional tones.

Executives from American network NBC jetted to England to watch her in her role as a judge on hit talent show 'The X Factor' - alongside Simon Cowell, Louis Walsh and Dannii Minogue - and while they were impressed with her looks and star quality, they couldn't understand what she was saying.

A source said: "They were bowled over by Cheryl and thought she was beautiful, sassy, smart and charismatic. There was just one small problem - they couldn't understand her accent.

"The Americans really seemed to struggle with her voice.

"Simon jokingly offered to pay for elocution lessons for her but, seriously, that may be the route she has to take if she is really considering breaking into television in the US."

TV chiefs have now taken copies of last year's 'X Factor' back to the US with them which they will play to test audiences to see how well Cheryl is liked by the American public and whether they can understand her.

Simon is keen for Cheryl, 26, to make it Stateside and wants her to be the main star of the American version of 'The X Factor', which he will produce.