Dannii Minogue in meltdown as X Factor jealousy exposed

It's all smiles on screen, but Cheryl Cole's pushed Dannii to breaking point.

The latest series of The X Factor has kicked off with a bang. New judge Cheryl Cole has been made to feel like part of the family – especially by Dannii Minogue, who’s been giving the nervous youngster plenty of reassuring smiles and protective hugs on screen.

But when the camera stops rolling, Dannii’s the one who’s struggling. The arrival of hot new judge Cheryl has spun Dannii into a whirlwind of worry about her age and body image compared to the younger singer.

Sitting next to the gorgeous, 25-year-old Girls Aloud star week in, week out is tearing Dannii apart, leaving her feeling washed up. At 36, Dannii’s 11 years older than Cheryl and her insecurities have reached an all-time high.

Our source says: ‘Dannii feels like a fat old granny and even fears that she’ll be sacked at the end of this series. She’s told me that every time she looks at Cheryl she feels 100 years old. It’s sent her into a meltdown.’

Dannii told one friend: ‘‘I’m not big at a size 8, but next to Cheryl I look like a fat heifer with a chubby face – I hate it!” She’s also been seeking constant reassurance from friends, asking: “Do I look big on TV?” and “Do you think I look old for my age?”.

Meanwhile, stunning Cheryl has charmed the viewers, fellow judges Simon Cowell and Louis Walsh and backstage crew. The fans are also deserting Dannii. Her mailbag is tiny compared to Cheryl’s, which is hard to swallow after being the most popular judge last year. Dannii now attracts the ‘weirdos’ and Cheryl is the ‘clear favourite’.

Dannii, who has admitted to having cosmetic surgery to fight off ageing – including a boob job and extensive work with Botox – is now concerned that she’ll lose her contract next year.

Source