Discarded "X Factor" judge Cheryl Cole could be headed back to TV, sources said.
Fremantle and 19 Entertainment executives reached out to Cole on Monday to see if she would be interested in joining "American Idol," either alongside Jennifer Lopez or as a replacement if J.Lo jumps ship.
The two women appear in the movie, "What to Expect When You're Expecting." The British pop star has a cameo as a talent show judge in the movie's opening scene.
Lopez, who earns $22 million from the FOX network gig that revived her career, said she may not return when filming starts in late August for season 12.
Whether 28-year-old Cole can be a big enough draw will be a question for Madison Avenue as it considers ponying up again for the ad slots.
Cole would not command anywhere near the kind of dough Lopez gets.
"She's more in the Demi Lovato range -- $5 million to $10 million," a source said, referring to the new judge on "The X Factor," who will join Britney Spears on the show.
Cole appeared in the first few episodes of the US version of "The X Factor" before being unceremoniously dumped by Simon Cowell.
FOX, which is owned by News Corp., the parent company of the New York Post and NewsCore, declined to comment.
