Cheryl Cole has begun divorce proceedings against her estranged husband Ashley, it has been revealed. In papers lodged at London's High Court at 2 pm on Tuesday, the 26-year-old singer cited "unreasonable behaviour" on the part of the Chelsea footballer as grounds for ending their four year marriage.
Cheryl is not asking for a penny of Ashley's money in an effort to make a clean break, and has told the 29-year-old, who was allegedly unfaithful with a number of women, he can keep their couple's £6 million Surrey home. It is thought the Girls Aloud singer has instructed lawyers to rush through the divorce ahead of England's first World Cup match because she does not want the defender to be distracted by any "emotional turmoil."
"Cheryl made a swift decision to put England's World Cup dreams ahead of herself," a source told the Sun. "The divorce should be finalised before England's first touch of the ball in South Africa on June 12." Neither Cheryl nor Ashley - pictured together in November - signed a prenuptial agreement when they wed in July 2006. But the X Factor judge, who will celebrate her 27th birthday next month, doesn't want any wrangling over finances it is thought.
The couple are both worth an estimated £10 million with Ashley earning around £6 million a year from his football club and sponsorship deals. Meanwhile, his wife has seen her fortunes rise in recent years with £5 million coming in from her work with Girls Aloud and a new contract with the X Factor worth £1.7 million.
Speaking about the divorce proceedings, the source added: "She (Cheryl) has fully accepted there is no going back after Ashley's cheating and their marriage breakdown. So this divorce will be clean, swift, amicable and smooth. Cheryl has no spite towards Ashley and has been incredibly mature and considered in how she has handled the split."
Just recently Cheryl made a very successful debut at the Cannes Film Festival, seen by many as her launch on the international circuit. While there she was joined by Black Eyed Peas star Will.i.am who has sparked reports of a possible romance after declaring Cheryl to be "the most beautiful woman in the world."
