Cheryl Cole

We pictured Cheryl Cole and Nicole Scherzinger bonding over nail polish and gossip.

But after meeting on The X Factor last week, it's safe to say the girls won't be exchanging Christmas cards any time soon.

While Cheryl and Nicole smiled for the cameras, our X Factor mole tells us the atmosphere was ‘stressy and tense' behind the scenes.

But, thanks to pleas from their mutual US dance partner Derek Hough, 25, the two women forced civility when the cameras were rolling.

‘Derek has been on at her to give Nicole a chance but Cheryl has been calling Nicole The Pussycat Mole behind her back for months,' reveals our source.

'So she was desperate to look great and called in her best stylists to avoid being outshone.'

Insiders say Simon Cowell and Louis Walsh were revelling in poor Chezza's insecurities about meeting Nicole.

‘It's like Louis worships Nicole and can't stand Cheryl,' says our spy.

‘And Simon loves Nicole too. He openly says how gorgeous she is.

'Even though Simon adores Cheryl and is only having a bit of fun, it does rile her. '

To read the full story about Cheryl Cole and Nicole Scherzinger, see Now magazine dated 6 December 2010 - out now!