Nicole is a hit at U.S. X Factor auditions as Cheryl

She is still in hiding after her dreams of cracking America on the X Factor USA were shattered. And yesterday, Cheryl Cole actually became the invisible woman as Simon Cowell introduced her replacement on the TV talent show – singer Nicole Scherzinger. To ear-splitting applause from the crowd, the X Factor judges walked out to greet the audience at the auditions in New Jersey. Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, L.A. Reid and Nicole Scherzinger beamed as they made their introductions. And it was a case of ‘Cheryl, who’s Cheryl?’ as Miss Scherzinger, 32, was introduced to the crowd by Cowell as ‘our own answer to Cruella de Vil.’ It was as if Mrs Cole had never even been on set as the slender brunette then triumphantly punched the air, making it clear that she deserved the job, screaming: ‘What’s up New Jersey? How are you?  Y’all feeling good today?’ Clad in a figure-hugging green jumpsuit and gold stilettos for the show, the singer added: ‘I don’t know if you all know this, but today is my first day on the job for the X Factor – I’m here for you. I’m at your service, New Jersey.’ And speaking after the first round of auditions at the Prudential Centre in Newark, New Jersey, music mogul Cowell told the Daily Mail: ‘Didn’t’ Nicole do well? She was terrific. ‘She’s a great addition to the panel, she’ll be great. She’s just what we needed – she’s a breath of fresh air.’ The entire judging panel looked terribly cosy as Miss Abdul, 48, cuddled up to Cowell, 51,and Miss Scherzinger bantered easily with record executive Reid. And when asked if they knew who Mrs Cole was, audience members professed ignorance and one said: ‘We don’t know her in America.’ An onlooker said: ‘It was as if Cheryl had never been there at all, everyone looked happy and relaxed. It was like she had been rubbed out of the show.’ Mrs Cole is yet to make a public appearance after flying home to England from the auditions in Chicago two weeks ago. The star was removed from the U.S. judging panel after being told by TV executives that she had lost her ‘sparkle.’ The move then sparked a 10-day standoff beween her and Cowell that ended in her snubbing a £2.5 million offer to return to the U.K. X Factor – and finally an 11th hour offer to try again as a judge on the U.S. show. She turned down the offer to return to America on Monday, leaving Miss Scherzinger - who was a guest judge at the U.K. X Factor auditions last year - to fill her high heels. A show source said: ‘Nicole is feisty, she’s loud, she gets the crowd going – and she’s ambitious. ‘In short, she’s exactly what the X Factor needs. She was great on the first day and managed to spar with Cowell and the rest of the judges.’