Simon Cowell: 'Cheryl Cole misses The X Factor'
The media mogul fell out with Cole after he axed her from the X Factor USA panel mere days after auditions began last summer. In return, she quit her role on the UK edition of the show.
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Cowell has now praised Cole for being "grown-up" about the incident and claimed that he would have no hesitation in signing her to one of his shows again.
"She is a grown-up and she understands that in this business when something happens it happens publicly," he told The Sun.
"That wasn't a great week for me. When I came back last year I was public enemy number one, and I wouldn't want to go through that again.
"She could be a panellist again if she wanted to - 100%. I don't know if she would. I think she probably misses me."
Cowell and Cole were reported to be working on a new talent show project earlier this month.
Last September, the Girls Aloud singer apparently turned down the chance to appear on series six of Britain's Got Talent, which launched on Friday (January 20) with Cowell, Alesha Dixon, David Walliams and Amanda Holden on the panel.
> 'X Factor' judges are not safe, says Simon Cowell
Watch Simon Cowell and the stars of Britain's Got Talent talking to Digital Spy below: