Cole 'avoiding 'X Factor' chart battle'

Cheryl Cole has decided to release her second single after Christmas to avoid a battle with the X Factor winner.

However, the show's judge, who will release '3 Words' a week after the X Factor winner's single, will still have to fight the victor for the first number one of 2010.

"Cheryl and the record label decided to put the next single out after Christmas," a source told The Sun. "The X Factor winner is always one of the biggest hits of the year and Cheryl will have a tough job toppling it.

"She really is the most popular popstar in the UK at the moment, but nothing can compare to the support the X Factor single always gets."

Meanwhile, HMV chart expert Gennaro Castaldo claimed that Cole might still struggle to reach number one.

"Whoever wins The X Factor claims the Christmas number one spot and can look forward to a run at the top that lasts well into the new year," he said. "But if anyone can stop the X Factor bandwagon it's Cheryl Cole. Cheryl's already topping HMV's books and calendar charts, and her album is doing really well in the top ten also.

"The one thing that might count against Cheryl is a lot of fans already own this song having bought her album. So we'd say the odds are likely to remain stacked in favour of the X Factor winner to be the first number one of 2010."

> Click here to watch the video for '3 Words'