Cheryl Cole 'warned not to drop accent'

Cheryl Cole has been warned not to drop her Newcastle accent in her bid to crack America.

The X Factor judge is thought to be considering elocution lessons, after Simon Cowell reportedly advised her that US audiences might not be able to understand what she was saying.

However, a languages expert has warned that Cole's accent is a part of her "natural" image and that changing it could affect her appeal in the UK.

"If she is seen to be changing her accent for commercial reasons, this could damage her image here...In the UK, the Geordie accent is viewed very positively and studies of reactions to accents consistently show that it is considered friendly, honest and generally attractive," said Joan Beal, professor of English Language at Sheffield University.

"There are lots of voice coaches who claim to be able to soften regional accents, and I’m sure Cheryl would have access to reputable ones who’ve worked successfully with actors. But does she want to be seen as putting on an act?"

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