There’s been speculation over his job ever since the end of the last series, but now reports confirm Louis Walsh is gone from the X Factor after 11 years.
The judge, who had become a firm TV fixture, is said to have been told personally by show boss Simon Cowell that he wouldn’t be needed this coming series.
“They are close friends so Simon wanted to do this the right way.
Man to man: Simon apparently told Louis face-to-face he wouldn’t be needed for the next series of the show | ITV
“He didn’t want to leave the discussion to executive producer Richard Holloway because that backfired so badly when he sacked Cheryl Fernandez Versini from X Factor USA in 2011,” the source told UK’s Sun on Sunday.
“So Simon spoke to Louis and told him that it’s 95 per cent certain that he’ll be ‘stood down’ this year.”
Another source close to the popular TV talent show told the newspaper, that Simon feared that viewer’s were tiring of the Mayo native.
“Viewers had become sick of Louis’ constant use of tired cliches and the same old jokes,” the source said.
Gone: Louis has apparently been told by the talent show boss he won’t be needed for this season | ITV
“He’d been doing it for 11 years and it seemed like he was just going through the motions.”
Meanwhile, the 62-year-old had previously appeared to confirm he was leaving the show during an interview on The Seven O’Clock Show in April.
“I’m done with X Factor, honestly. I’ve done 11 seasons and that’s a long time in television – I don’t think I’ll be going back,” he admitted.
“I think they are going to change the show. I think they are going to get new faces”.
Focus: Louis previously admitted he wanted to focus on managing his acts | ITV
The TV favourite then admitted he wanted to focus on being a music manager again and channel his energy with Shane Filan and his new boyband HomeTown, who just celebrated their first year together.
However, there have been rumblings that the former Westlife manager won’t be taking too long of a break from TV with rumours swirling he’s earmarked for Ireland’s Got Talent by Simon Cowell.
According to Metro UK, a X Factor spokesperson said: “No formal decisions have been made regarding the full panel for this year’s series.”
