Cheryl Cole

Born on June 30, 1983, in Newcastle Upon Tyne, England, Cheryl Ann Tweedy (aka Cheryl Cole and Cheryl Fernandez-Versini) is an English singer and television personality. Before she became a small screen star, Cole grew up in a crime- and drug-ridden neighborhood, where money was often tight. She and her siblings often ran into trouble with authorities. One of her older brothers was allegedly sent to a young offender's institution for stabbing two students in a local pub. Cole, herself, was also suspended from high school twice; once, for fighting with a student and again for swearing on a bus.

Yet, amidst all the instability, Cole was driven to succeed. As a child, she won several modeling competitions, learned how to dance ballet, and appeared in a few television commercials. In 2002, Cole beat out thousands of hopefuls and became one of the finalists on the reality talent competition show, "Popstars: The Rivals," a spin-off of the popular "Popstars" (ITV, 2001) franchise where aspiring singers competed to become a member of a pop group.

Cole proved herself a strong contender during the entire competition, going on to win a spot in the pop group, Girls Aloud. The group shot up to fame in the U.K., thanks to 20 Top 10 singles including "Sound of the Underground" (2003), a catchy pop tune that critics described as a mix of Blondie and Bananarama, with a smattering of the Spice Girls. The group also guest-starred on countless hit shows and televised musical events in the U.K. But Cole's success - especially early on in her career - was, at times, blemished by controversy. In January 2003, she was engaged in an altercation with a toilet attendant at a nightclub in Guildford, Surrey.

A jury found Cole guilty of racially aggravated assault occasioning bodily harm, sentencing her to 120 hours of community service and fines. Her failed marriage to British football player, Ashley Cole, was also widely reported by the media. During the couple's four-year relationship, he allegedly cheated on her a number of times, including a tryst with a hairdresser and a model. The couple made attempts to mend their relationship, but they eventually divorced in 2010. In July of that same year, Cole battled malaria, which she contracted during a trip to Tanzania.

The reality star recovered, but not before suffering from pain so intense that she reportedly thought she was dying. While her personal life was not always smooth sailing, Cole's professional life kept reaching new heights. In 2009, Cole jumpstarted her solo career with the album 3 Words, featuring the hit singles "Fight for This Love" and the title track on which she sang with American rapper will.i.am.

That same year, Cole joined the judging panel of the top-rated - albeit over-the-top - singing competition series, "The X Factor" (ITV, 2004-2010), alongside the show's creator Simon Cowell. Cole's career skyrocketed as the show's viewership exploded. Two years later, Cole made waves across the pond when Cowell tapped her to star as one of the judges on the widely anticipated American version of "The X Factor," alongside Paula Abdul, who had shared judging duties with Cowell on the long-running reality competition series "American Idol" (Fox, 2002-16), and L.A. Reid, a Grammy Award-winning record producer.

Unfortunately, only weeks into production, Cheryl Cole was let go from her duties because her British accent was reportedly deemed "too thick."