British singer Cheryl Cole has signed a one million pound a year contract to host prime time shows on ITV1.
Apart from that, the Girls Aloud singer's 820,000 pounds X Factor salary will rise to 1.1 million pounds next year.
"This is an enormous coup for ITV. Cheryl has major appeal across ages and genders for her beauty and down-to-earth personality. Times are tough in telly land like everywhere else. But the option of bringing someone of Cheryl's calibre into the station is too good to pass up," said a source close to the channel.
The show bosses are still deciding what sort of shows 25-year-old Cheryl could host.
"They're discussing whether Cheryl should host a chat show. But they also know the void left by Cilla Black in light entertainment has never really been filled. Basically, they want her to become the Queen Of ITV," added the source.
Cheryl's deal makes her the best paid female TV star after Weakest Link host Anne Robinson who earns 3 million pounds a year.
Cheryl is also expected to sign a 3 million pounds deal for a book about her rise to fame and the anguish of hubby Ashley Cole's infidelity with barmaid Aimee Walton last year.
{{/usCountry}}Cheryl is also expected to sign a 3 million pounds deal for a book about her rise to fame and the anguish of hubby Ashley Cole's infidelity with barmaid Aimee Walton last year.
{{/usCountry}}"Cheryl's book would be a guaranteed bestseller. Her views on what went on between her and Ashley when he was caught cheating would be explosive," said a source.