Louis Walsh has hit out at his former boss Simon Cowell, branding him a has-been.
TV star Louis, who appeared alongside Simon as a judge on the X Factor, has claimed the music mogul, 66, no longer contacts him and slammed his newest boy band, December 10.
Louis went on to take a dig at ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent, on which he was a guest judge, claiming ‘no one cares’ about the show anymore.
‘BGT, who cares?! It’s not what it was. Back in the old days it was pulling in 12 million and the whole country cared who won,’ Louis, 73 said in an astonishing rant.
‘Now it doesn’t feel like that, who even won last year?’
Louis, who was the longest serving judge on The X Factor, also didn’t hold back as he took aim at Simon.
‘Cowell was incredible in his prime, I just don’t think he’s got that same instinct now.
‘He’s surrounded by people who won’t tell him the truth anymore.
‘He’s a family man now, Lauren’s in charge of his diary, and his phone, I’ve not heard from him in years,’ he told The Sun.
He’s also been left less than impressed by Simon Cowell’s latest project, boyband December 10, who were formed on Netflix’s The Next Act.
The seven boys were chosen specifically by the X Factor legend to fill that boyband-sized gap.
‘December 10, they should have been called April 1st,’ Louis said.
‘I genuinely hope it works, for the boys’ sake. I know what it’s like when things don’t take off — it’s the artists who feel it.’
It’s not the first time Louis has found himself in the centre of an X Factor feud, after former contestants Jedward branded the Pop Idol judge ‘cold hearted and two faced’.
John and Edward Grimes shot to fame on the reality competition in 2009, before being managed by Louis until 2013.
Speaking to Metro they said: ‘We treated Louis with kindness and respect but he took advantage of our easy-going nature and ultimately didn’t have the best intentions for us to evolve as artists.
‘He’s known for being b***hy and gossiping about everyone.’
They added: ‘We aren’t alone: many other acts have had similar experiences with him. No one needs the negativity trying to stop you from being the best version of yourself.’
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