Clifford: 'Cole should use maiden name'

PR guru Max Clifford has claimed that Cheryl Cole should start using her maiden name again once her divorce is finalised.

The celebrity publicist suggested that the X Factor judge would send out a strong message if she changed her surname back to Tweedy.

Speaking on Five News, Clifford commented: "I think that if I was advising her, I would probably say go back to being Cheryl Tweedy because that's a statement - 'That part of my life is over, this is who I am, this is my name'."

Cheryl filed for divorce from estranged husband Ashley earlier this week. She had separated from the Chelsea footballer in February following claims that he had cheated on her with a number of women.

Discussing the star's future, Clifford said: "As a single person, the potential is even greater, brighter and better for her than being married to a footballer who's unpopular with most people unless they're Chelsea fans."

Earlier today, reports predicted that Cheryl will start a new life in the US after she completes work on the next series of The X Factor.