Dan Wootton is back with another exclusive. Is Louis Walsh set to become the 5th X Factor UK judge?
The Sun’s Dan Wootton (SYCO and Modest! Management have him on speed dial!) is reporting that Louis Walsh is set to make a sensational return to X Factor UK … in a bid to increase the show’s ratings. That’s right. The talent on XF UK this season is very good, but the ratings are still down. So the show bosses concluded the audience must be missing … the unsinkable Louis Walsh.
LOUIS Walsh will make a sensational return to The X Factor in a bid to increase the show’s ratings, The Sun can reveal.
The axed Irishman, who is now 63, will be back on the live shows as a “fifth judge” alongside close friend Simon Cowell, 55, and panellists Cheryl Fernandez-Versini, 32, a sworn enemy, Rita Ora, 24, and Nick Grimshaw, 31, who was controversially hired as his replacement.
Last night a senior X Factor insider revealed: “This is a complete bolt from the blue that no one expected, but Louis is an X Factor legend and Simon wants him back for the live shows. They’re great friends.
“He will be a neutral fifth judge who will sit in a special place away from the other judges to provide his own unbiased comments on the contestants.
“It’s a massive coup for Louis who is also going to sign a deal with Simon to help launch Ireland’s Got Talent as a judge.
“We know Nick will come into his own on the live shows because of his experience as a DJ, but we think Louis will be a great addition.”
No surprise, Simon is missing his old pal.
Simon and X Factor bosses believe the absence of Louis, who was a judge between 2004 and 2014, has been a major factor in the criticism of the show this year, which has suffered a ratings slump.
Another show source said: “The reality is that Simon has missed Louis right from the start — it hasn’t felt the same for him without him and viewers feel the same.
“Louis could annoy a lot of people, but he was brilliant at creating the drama required to make a show like X Factor worked.
“It’s all been too nice during the auditions this year. Grimmy is popular backstage but viewers think he’s boring.”
I don’t know, I like Grimmy just fine.
More changes are coming.
We can reveal show bosses are also planning to introduce Strictly Come Dancing-style score paddles for the judges in another massive shake-up of the show’s format.
The source said: “We’re looking at the judges scoring each contestant for their singing ability and their X-factor. It will make the live shows much more exciting.”
Stay tuned for any official news.
