X Factor judge and mentor, Cheryl Cole has ordered her winner, Alexandra Burke to gain some weight after she dropped from a 12 to an 8 in recent months.

Cheryl, who is said to be in a bid to gain weight herself, is rumoured to have told Alex that she looks too skinny and her face looks gaunt.

A source told the News of the World: “Cheryl has been telling Alex she looks too skinny. She says she can see the weight loss in her face because her cheekbones stick out too much.

“But Alex thinks it’s crazy. She loves Cheryl to pieces but thinks, ‘Look who’s talking.’ Alex is very slim, but compared to Cheryl she looks like a giant. Cheryl is the one who needs to gain weight.”

The insider added: “Alex doesn’t diet. She just eats healthily. When the X Factor finals started, she would try even harder to opt for salads rather than some of the junk the other contestants were eating.”