Cheryl new album 2018: As she joins The Greatest Dancer, when is music released?

The popstar was confirmed today to have joined the judging panel of The Greatest Dancer, as auditions begin in Birmingham.

She will be joined by Matthew Morrison and Oti Mabuse on the panel, with Alesha Dixon and Jordan Banjo slated to present.

The programme will launch on BBC One in the new year, presumably as a rival to ITV’s The Voice UK.

So will this affect Cheryl’s new music plans?

There hasn’t been any news yet on official release dates for Cheryl’s comeback album – her first solo material since the Only Human era back in 2014, which spawned the number ones Crazy Stupid Love and I Don’t Care.

It had previously been predicted that she would bring out a comeback single, and potentially the entire album, before the end of 2018 – and this could still be the case.

Just last month, a report claimed she was “close” to finishing it, with help from Nicola Roberts – her ex Girls Aloud bandmate – as a co-writer on every song.

“Nicola and I wrote every track together,” she told The Sun. “It’s been great working with one of my best friends, but I’m really proud of the album and excited for people to hear the new music.

“It’s pretty much finished. At this stage we’re deciding what will be the first single.

“We’re choosing between about three songs, but that’s quite a nice problem to have.

“Thankfully I’m not looking at it, saying, ‘Oh God, all this work and we don’t have a hit record’. I think we do.”

Promoting new music will no doubt add a lot to Cheryl’s workload on top of The Greatest Dancer’s filming, but if anyone can handle such an intense schedule, it’s her.

During her first three-year stint as an X Factor panelist, Cheryl was juggling her music career – in 2008 with Girls Aloud, and in 2009 and 2010 with her 3 Words and Messy Little Raindrops solo ventures.

And with The Greatest Showman not even airing until 2019, presumably she’ll still be able to return to music without any scheduling conflicts.

In fact, it was recently claimed that both Strictly Come Dancing and The X Factor are keen to sign her for a big guest performance in the autumn.

“There’s a massive race on for who can land Cheryl to ­perform her new material,” a source told The Sun in late July.

“All the big shows want her as they know her return to music will be one of the biggest music moments of the year and will draw in millions of viewers.

“Simon [Cowell] is doing everything in his power to make sure they box her off — it would be a massive embarrassment if Strictly got her with an offer she can’t refuse.”

Strictly has more viewers, but her loyalties will no doubt lie with X Factor – so where will she perform?

Cheryl is one of the best-selling British solo females of the century, having landed five chart-topping hits, plus an additional four as part of Girls Aloud.