Cheryl Cole's haunted face as Ashley says: My life has been ruined

By Simon Cable and Richard Simpson

Forlorn: Cheryl Cole spotted leaving a recording studio in north London last night


Cheryl Cole cut a forlorn figure as she left a recording studio last night.
The X Factor judge was pictured being driven away from Spring Studios in north London clutching a bottle of water.

But with her marriage breakdown to Ashley clearly heavy on her mind, the singer could not even manage a hint of a smile.

Cheryl yesterday spent nine hours recording a new TV shampoo ad for L'Oreal as she went back to work for the first time since the split.

It appears her estranged husband has also become resigned to the fact that his three-and-a-half year marriage is over for good after he was spotted without his diamond-encrusted wedding band for the first time since his wife walked out on him last week.

An emotional Cole said yesterday that his life was in ruins following the collapse of his marriage.

The 29-year-old footballer is receiving treatment for a broken ankle at a French sports clinic.

He emerged on to the balcony of his room after friends said he had been constantly texting and calling his wife Cheryl to beg for a reconciliation.

Asked about their separation, he shouted: '**** off! Why doesn't everyone just leave me alone? Just **** off, my life has been ruined.'

Before yesterday's outburst, friends had attempted to paint a sympathetic picture, saying that he was upset at the split and desperate to persuade Cheryl to give their relationship a fresh chance.


Inevitable: Ashley Cole, pictured at a rehabilitation clinic in the south of France without his wedding ring
One source said: 'Ash is shell-shocked and dazed. It has really surprised his friends how badly he's taken it.'

According to today's Sun newspaper, Cheryl has caved in to his demands for a meeting together next week - but will only give him 15 minutes.

Cheryl has still to employ lawyers to begin the legal process of separation, which paves the way for divorce, a fact which could be significant.

Cole managed to persuade her to stay with him in 2008, when his brief affair with hairdresser Aimee Walton came to light. He convinced her that the marriage deserved another chance.

Friends of Cheryl - including X Factor colleague Simon Cowell - are said to have urged her not to succumb to any pleading this time.

Cowell apparently told her: 'It's time to think of yourself, kiddo. He's had enough chances.'


Nothing to do: The footballer has had plenty of time to reflect on his marriage while holed up getting treatment on his broken ankle

Cheryl, 26, announced a week ago that she was leaving her husband of three years as a series of women came forward to say that he had cheated on her with them.

Things got worse for the star over the weekend as he watched his Chelsea team-mates crash to an embarrassing defeat to Manchester City.

And if that wasn’t enough, the multi-millionaire defender had to make do with watching Saturday’s match on a communal television screen in the canteen along with a number of other patients.

News that he has ditched his wedding ring comes 13 days after Cheryl fled to the U.S. after four women came forward claiming to have slept with the footballer.

A fifth woman says Cole had sent her lewd pictures of himself to her mobile phone.

On that occasion, she was wearing neither the £150,000 ring she received from her husband on their wedding day in July 2006 or the £160,000 square-cut diamond he famously presented her with in the wake of his affair with Walton.

Cheryl has prepared herself for a divorce by telling friends that she has no plans to demand any money from her husband and does not want to follow in the footsteps of Heather Mills who battled for a share of Paul McCartney’s fortune when they split.

A source at the clinic has told the Daily Mail that the footballer had been ‘glued to his mobile phone’ in between physiotherapy sessions.

‘He spends most of his time texting on his mobile phone and calling his family.
‘He looks miserable. But he has had an awful lot of time on his hands to contemplate what has happened as apart from exercising, eating and sleeping there is nothing to do here.

'He is basically holed up here. None of his family or friends have come to visit. They even put a curfew on patients here and he is pretty much cut off from the outside world.

‘It can get extremely lonely. It sounds like he is doing everything he can to try and turn things around at home and is barely talking to anyone else in here. He seems like a little boy lost.’

It is understood that Cole will be staying at the clinic near Biarritz for at least another week.

Cheryl was spotted leaving her Surrey mansion yesterday in the back of a Mercedes this morning looking tired and drained.


Support: Fans of Cheryl Cole, wearing 'Team Cheryl' t-shirts, deliver flowers to the star's home this weekend
She spent both Satudary and Sunday holed up in the property being comforted by her mother Joan Callaghan, 49.


On Saturday night, when approached by a reporter, Mrs Callaghan refused to comment on reports that she had a role to play in her daughter's marriage problems.

When the allegations were put to her over the house's intercom system, she hung up straight away.

The police presence which had previously been in place outside the property ended as torrential rain battered the south east of England.

Cheryl briefly left her home on Friday night to watch Lady Gaga perform at London's O2 Arena.


Showing the strain: Cheryl looked drained as she left her Surrey home yesterday


Cheryl has cancelled virtually all of the TV and radio appearances she was due to give to promote her new single, Parachute, which is released on March 15. She was scheduled to be interviewed on Jonathan Ross’ BBC chatshow the Thursday before, but has now pulled out.

Over the weekend, Cheryl's home was besieged by fans hoping to lift the heartbroken star's spirits.

Three Girls Aloud fans turned up outside the star's £6million mansion in Surrey, hoping to offer the love-split singer their support.

Bournemouth University students Juliet Crouch, Verity Coles, both 21, and Charlie Jessey, 22, drew hearts around their lips with black felt-tip pens and stood outside shouting: 'We love you Cheryl.'

They also pulled their down their tops and scrawled 'Cheryl' across their chests.

Verity said: 'We all love Cheryl. There's no doubt she should kick Ashley out for good. We all feel very sorry for her and just wanted to let her know she has a lot of support. Everyone is on her side.'


source: dailymail