We were virtually ready to burst with excitement about seeing Cheryl Cole back on The X Factor last night – and if the lift in viewing figures is anything to go buy we weren’t alone.

Cheryl’s one night only return to the show to help good friend Gary Barlow at the Judge’ Houses stage of the competition coincided with almost and extra half a million viewers. Last night’s show saw an average of 8.7million viewers tuning in, with a peak of 9.7million.

However, the ratings for The X Factor are still down from last year, the average ratings reached 11.1million viewers during the auditions process in 2011.

We loved seeing Cheryl back on the show (we just want to know when Dannii Minogue’s going to make a guest appearance) – although she seemed happy that her return was only temporary. When Gary had to deliberate about which of his acts to take through to lives, Cheryl joked that she was happy to have a car coming to collect her.

Gary and his overs – Kye Sones, Melanie Masson, Nicola Marie, Brad Shackleton, Carolynne Poole, Christopher Maloney – were at the swish Boughton House in Northamptonshire for this weekend’s show. Gary and Cheryl flew in by helicopter and when Chez first met the nervous but excited contestants she told them,

“I've been there and I have been here so I know how you are all feeling, I am just excited to see what you have got.

“I think it's going to be amazing and I wish you the best of luck from the bottom of my heart.”

Did you love seeing Cheryl back on The X Factor?