I am so glad Cheryl Cole was axed from X Factor, says Will.i.am

London, Apr 29 (ANI): Will.i.am, who claims that his friendship with his protegee Cheryl Cole became stronger after they were romantically linked, has said that he was glad after the singer was axed as an 'X Factor' USA judge last year.

Dismissing the telly role as a "waste of talent", the 37-year-old rapper said he was pleased that the 'Girls Aloud' member was focusing on her chart career again as she had too much musical ability to "just be some TV star".

Cole was a judge on the UK 'X Factor' for three years before being invited to be a judge across the Pond - only to be axed by Simon Cowell merely after three weeks.

"Cheryl is a great artist and a great performer and I think the world needs that. Music is what got us here," the Sun quoted him as saying.

"If you're not singing any more or writing songs then you've abandoned your base. Cheryl Cole to me is not Kim Kardashian or Paris Hilton," he added. (ANI)