Cheryl Cole has vowed to seek advice from her Girls Aloud bandmates throughout The X Factor this year.

The singer claimed that help and support from Nadine Coyle, Sarah Harding, Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh will give her the edge over her fellow judges.

Cole revealed: "The girls are just as excited and nervous about the whole thing as I am. I do feel like I have an advantage as I have another four very valuable opinions to help me with things that I'm not sure about or uncomfortable with, which has got to be a bonus.

"It will be difficult for me not to get too emotionally involved with my acts so that is when I will be relying heavily on their help and honest outsider opinions. At the moment they just keep telling me to be myself and call if I need them."

Cole was recruited for the programme following the departure of Sharon Osbourne in June.

The X Factor's fifth series begins on Saturday on ITV1.