Cheryl Cole reportedly bullied by Paula Abdul

Paula Abdul “made Cheryl Cole's life hell” during the singer’s brief stint on the US X Factor juding panel, Now Magazine reveals.

“Paula didn't take to Cheryl at all and treated her like they were in high school,” a source told the weekly womens magazine.

“She completely blanked her and pretended not to know anything about her,” the source continued. “

“Cheryl was supposed to sit next to Simon, but Paula threw a tantrum and Simon backed down. Paula was really passive aggressive and she said things to Cheryl like: ‘That's an interesting outfit - you have unusual style.’ “ Ouch!

Cole was reportedly sacked from the US Factor because producers worried her thick Geordie accent would be impossible for US viewers to understand and also because she lacked chemistry with onetime US pop star Paula Abdul, according to US gossip site TMZ.

Sounds like a lack of chemistry was the least of Chezza’s problems though. The Now source added:

“Cheryl has told pals she feels there was a conspiracy to make her life as difficult as possible on the set.”

“It was things like the crew and production people constantly going: "Huh?" and "What?" at everything she said when the network bosses were around. 'It was as if they went out of their way to prove a point."

“The friend says Cheryl was dragged into a producers' meeting a few days before the axing and told she ‘had to be more combative with Paula in auditions'."

"The pal adds: ‘She tried her best, but every time she piped up someone - usually Paula - would say they didn't understand her. Cheryl was fuming and she confronted Paula about her bitchy attitude. They had an explosive row with insults flying everywhere. It got so heated that Cheryl's infamous temper kicked off and she called Paula a c*** to her face. Her fate was sealed after that.'”

Hmmm, unsurprising that...

Former Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger has been reportedly drafted in to replace Cole.

As a consolation prize Cole was offered a spot on the British version of The X Factor but has reportedly ignored calls from TV execs and old pal Simon Cowell.

Meanwhile in other Cheryl Cole news, Paddy Power have lowered the odds on the singer announcing she is pregnant from 7/1 to just 7/2 after there was a spike in the number of people betting on the baby wager, even though the erswhile Girls Aloud singer is believed to be single.