For crying out Aloud

TORTURED Cheryl Cole went home and "sobbed" after filming X Factor auditions as she struggled to cope with the storm surrounding her marriage to Ashley Cole.

Earlier this week the Girls Aloud singer claimed 2008 had been the best year of her life. But now she has opened up about the huge toll news of Ashley's affair has taken on her.

Cheryl, 25, who has replaced Sharon Osbourne as a judge on the ITV talent show, told the News of the World: "I totally went home and cried. It'd be a rollercoaster all day and I was mentally drained. I couldn't switch off."

Over ten million tuned into last night's show and saw fragile Cheryl well up during some performances, prompting speculation she was actually crying over Ashley, 27.

Cheryl, who was not wearing her wedding ring, explained: "You see the story unfold, you see where the emotion came from."

But she insisted she's staying strong.

"I've learned quite a lot along the way.

"It's in my nature to be tough. I grew up on a council estate in a single parent family, so I know how to tough it."