Cheryl Cole -- paid to leave

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) – The bizarre drama surrounding British pop singer Cheryl Cole's on-again, off-again gig as a judge on the U.S. version of "The X Factor" appears to be coming to a close -- and it's off.

According to a high-level industry source, producers have concluded that it's best to pay Cole the reported $1.5 million she was owed under her contract and say goodbye.

The source says it was clear that the chemistry wasn't working among the judges from the start.  Cole lacked chemistry with Paula Abdul and it is believed that series creator Simon Cowell concluded that a change was necessary.

While the hope was to ease Cole back into a role in the original U.K. show, word of the decision to drop her from the American version leaked and Cole became extremely upset, and stopped communicating with the show's producers, Fremantle.

The source says Fremantle balked at paying out Cole's contract and hoped to induce her to quit. But apparently after extensive conversations involving Cowell, Fremantle and Fox, a decision was reached to pay off Cole's contract and end the drama.

LAMediaWatch.com