So after 11 years of comparing mediocre talent show wannabes to some of the world’s greatest pop artists (and Lenny Henry), Louis Walsh has been given his marching orders from ‘The X Factor’.
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Simon Cowell has seemingly confirmed tabloid reports that the hapless Irish music manager will not be sitting on the panel when the show returns later this year after tweeting: “Louis Walsh is one of the good guys. We will always be friends. The door remains open and who knows what's next....”
But who can fill Louis’ impossibly ridiculous shoes?
Louis Tomlinson, Katie Waissel and Brian Friedman
Nick Grimshaw is currently the favourite to take his judge’s chair, with Simon reportedly hoping he’ll bring some of his ‘yoof’ audience across from his Radio 1 Breakfast Show in a bid to boost the show’s flagging ratings.
However, the reports have divided fans of the show who feel that gobby Grimmy - whose celeb pals include Harry Styles, Rita Ora and Kate Moss - is too divisive to serve as a judge.
So who should sit on the panel alongside Simon and Cheryl Fernandez-Versini? We look at some of the runners and riders below…