Cheryl shows she's still got the X Factor in stunning calendar poses

If Simon Cowell needed convincing that dropping Cheryl Cole from the U.S. version of The X Factor could have been a mistake, these pictures might do the trick. The singer posed for the shots – some of her most provocative to date – in various locations in the South of France for her official 2012 calendar. In July’s photograph, a tousled-haired and pouting Mrs Cole poses on all fours on a bed. A black-and-white image for March features her in bikini top and hotpants with a cascading, diaphanous trail. August sees her playing up to a boho-chic look as she stands at the door of a caravan, while several of the pictures show off the barbed wire rose tattoo on her thigh. The singer, said to be close to being reconciled with her former husband, England footballer Ashley Cole, was unceremoniously jettisoned by X Factor boss Cowell in May, after just four days’ work as a judge on the show’s U.S. version. But she is now looking forward to a comeback later this year, after she was signed up for a cameo role in Hollywood movie What To Expect When You're Expecting alongside Cameron Diaz and Jennifer Lopez. And, according to a recent report in Now magazine, Cheryl is also hoping to collaborate with Britney Spears on a duet for her next album. A source told the publication: 'She'd love to do a duet with Britney for her next album.'