Girls Aloud are set to return to the studio in January 2012.

The ‘Call the Shots’ group are “itching” to end the hiatus they started in 2009 – which has seen all five members pursue different careers, including releasing solo records, acting, TV presenting and launching a make-up line – after members Cheryl Cole and Nadine Coyle bonded over the phone.

Both Nadine and Cheryl have had to deal with turmoil in their personal lives over the last month, with the former ending her engagement to NFL player Jason Bell and the latter being dropped from TV Show ‘The X Factor’.

A source told the Daily Mirror newspaper: “They’re excited they’re going to be making a fresh start together on this next adventure of their lives.

“In six months time it’ll be back to work as normal – they are itching to get back in the studio.”

The girl band – who also include Sarah Harding, Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh – are now searching for new producers to make hits for them on their next album, after they parted company with the songwriting and production team Xenomania who they have worked with on all their previous albums.

The source added: “At the moment the girls are really excited about their new beginning, although they are scratching their heads over who will create signature hits for them.

“They are all grown women now. Cheryl has been through a lot worse than US ‘X Factor’. She’s survived a marriage breakdown and almost died of malaria. She’s made of tougher stuff.”

‘X Factor’ judge Louis Walsh recently revealed Cheryl is set to rejoin her bandmates.

He told BANG Showbiz: “She’s getting back with Girls Aloud in 2012 and they’re going to tour.”