Girls Aloud star Kimberley Walsh has laughed off reports linking her bandmate Cheryl Cole to Simon Cowell, insisting the dating rumours are "far off the mark".
The music mogul, who is engaged to make-up artist Mezhgan Hussainy, has become close friends with Cole since she joined him on the judging panel of The X Factor in 2008.
Cole, who divorced her soccer star husband earlier this year (10), recently heaped praise on Cowell, admitting she has a "soft spot for him", while he has named the singer as the one celebrity he would like to kiss.
Their blossoming friendship has sparked speculation the pair is more than just good friends - but Cole's pal Walsh has dismissed the speculation.
In her weekly column for Britain's OK! magazine she writes, "Cheryl and Simon? No way! When I read a story that Cheryl Cole and Simon Cowell are more than just friends, I laughed out loud.
"Let me set the record straight - there's no truth in it! I can categorically say that is not the case and it's so far off the mark. It's quite amusing that people are going down that road - it was bound to happen at one stage when people run out of things to say, but there's nothing going on!
"I have no idea if Cheryl would go for an older man, but it wouldn't be Simon. They work together, they're good friends, but that's it!"