Cheryl Cole Cheryl Cole has never been the quietest star in Celebville.

But now the singer reckons being on The X Factor has rid her of having a reputation for being a bit of a loudmouth.

Cheryl told ES Magazine that she wasn't happy with her persona before she joined the show.

"I had got myself into such a deep hole of badness - a lot of negative stuff.

"Till The X Factor there was this thing that I was the gobby bitch of the band. Yes I'm opinionated, but I wasn't this person I used to read about. All these years I've guarded myself against criticism."

In the past, Cheryl has had a pop at fellow celebs Lily Allen and Charlotte Church, and in an interview only last month she criticised Victoria Beckham, Peaches Geldof and Alexa Chung.

Gobby is one word for it.

Cheryl reckons she didn't anticipate the impact being an X Factor judge would have on her career:

"I just thought I'd sit on the panel and have a laugh at the nut jobs."

She's still saying it like she sees it anyway.