Cheryl Cole'Xtra,'xtra, read all about it...

Cheryl Cole's new X Factor controversy, that is.

There's some hot water boiling around the petite popstar and talent judge.

The Daily Mirror reckons Cheryl voted someone who's "secretly a pal" into The X Factor's boot camp.

The lad in question, one Austin Drage, has apparently known Chez since 2004, when his old band toured with Girls Aloud, reports the paper.

In his audition, Cheryl told Austin: "If that's not your best, I'm excited to see what is."

The paper quotes an X Factor source as saying: "He had a completely unfair advantage.

"He has worked with Cheryl in the past and they are friends, so it seems obvious she was going to put him through."

A spokeswoman for the show told the paper: "He's always told us he knew Cheryl.

"This puts him at no advantage."

Now, ITV has released a statement reading: "Austin was in boyband 5Boyz, which we have always been aware of (and has been widely reported), but despite Girls Aloud once appearing on the same billing at a show one night, Cheryl has never met nor had a friendship with Austin, nor has she ever had a relationship with former 5Boyz member Brett.

"Austin has entered the competition and had to face and receive three yes's from the Judges just like any other contestant.

"He has at no point had an advantage over other contestants in the show."