Free Cheryl Cole: Her Story - the Unauthorized Biography by Gerard Sanderson Page A

Just a matter of minutes stood between Cheryl and one of those seats or a tearful journey home.
    The tension in the studio became unbearable. The giddy audience were chanting the names of their favourites. From where she was sitting, a nervous Cheryl could make out lots ofshouts for Nadine and Javine, but she wasn’t sure if she could hear her name as much. Looking into the crowd she could see her mum and family waving and shouting, doing their part to get behind her.
    Before Davina reeled off the names of the five lucky girls she asked the judges for their final comments. Louis was first to speak: ‘I’m looking for a good pop band like the Spice Girls – there’s no others out there.’ Pete reassured the girls that whatever happened they were ‘all winners’ and all had careers. Geri merely advised the girls to enjoy their future journey and relish it as ‘it’s a precious time’.
    In her seat next to Javine, Cheryl knew that in the next few minutes her life could be changed for ever. As Davina readied herself to announce the first name, Cheryl squeezed Javine’s hand. ‘And the first person in the band is …’ Cheryl swallowed hard as she waited for that all-important name. It had to be Nadine or Javine, for sure, she told herself. Who else could it be? But Davina had a surprise in store as the first name called was ‘… Cheryl.’
    Shooting to her feet, the triumphant Cheryl punched the air, hugged Javine and locked eyes with her jubilant mum bouncing up and down in the audience. She couldn’t believe it. The dream had come true: she had made it into the band. The public had decided that they wanted Cheryl Ann Tweedy in the country’s newest girlband. She couldn’t believe what was happening. This kind of thing only happened to other people, not wannabes from Heaton.
    As she tottered across the stage to be congratulated by Davina, tears welled in her eyes. What was going to happen to her next? How would her life change now? How wouldshe cope moving away from home and living with a bunch of strangers?
    But these questions had to wait; Cheryl was desperate find out which of the girls would be joining her on her amazing journey. And she didn’t have to wait long. The next name Davina called was Nicola, who got to her feet looking rather shell-shocked, followed by Kimberley, who smiled broadly with glee. This just left Nadine, Javine and Sarah on the edge of their seats. As Nadine and Javine had proved so popular with the judges over the weeks, would Sarah be the one to wave goodbye to her dream? The next name called was Nadine, and it was looking more and more likely that Sarah was the wannabe set to go.
    Davina called Sarah and Javine out to join her on stage. Before she put them out of their misery, Davina asked the judges what they thought about the way things had turned out. Geri sat on the fence: ‘I love both girls – let the public pick who they want,’ adding, ‘These two gave their strongest and most confident performance – both can have a solo career.’ Pete summed up the dramatic evening perfectly: ‘It’s a hell of a way to finish the series.’
    So now the moment had arrived. Was it going to be Sarah or Javine joining Cheryl and the girls in the band? Adding to the tension, Davina announced that everyone would have to wait until after the commercial break to find out who the final member of the girlband was. Over the next four or five minutes, the successful four held each other close, happy that they had been chosen but also gutted that they were about to lose a good friend. Cheryl was very close to both Javine and Sarah. With Javine she’d spent hours talking through the nights over the pastfew weeks; with Sarah Cheryl had had loads of fun, because Sarah was wild, witty and always larking about. Whichever one went home, she’d be upset for either girl not to make the band.
    Commercial break over, there was no more pussy-footing around and Davina revealed that the final person to