Louis Walsh Biography
Louis Walsh born Michael Louis Vincent Walsh is an Irish entertainment manager and former judge on The X Factor, a British television talent show.
Originally from Kiltimagh, County Mayo, Walsh moved to Dublin to get a start in the music industry. He has managed Johnny Logan, Boyzone and Westlife, three of Ireland’s most successful pop artists in the 1990s and 2000s. Later, Walsh began an alternative career as a television talent pundit and personality.
He was a judge on X Factor since the show’s inception in 2004 until 2017 (with the exception of 2015). He has mentored the “Groups” category six times and the “Overs” category three times. He was the winning judge of the show’s second series, mentoring Shayne Ward.
He has also appeared on You’re a Star, Popstars and Popstars: The Rivals. Walsh has also guest judged on Britain’s Got Talent a number of times and on The X Factor USA in 2012. He is also the creator of, and a judge on, Ireland’s Got Talent, which first aired on 3 February 2018.
Louis Walsh Age | How Old Is Louis Walsh
Walsh was born on 5 August 1952 in Kiltimagh, Republic of Ireland. He is 66 years old as of 2018.
Louis Walsh Family – Louis Walsh Siblings
He is a son of Frank Walsh (father) and Maureen Walsh (mother). He also has seven siblings namely: Peter Walsh, Evelyn Walsh, Frank Walsh, Sarah Walsh, Eamonn Walsh, Noel Walsh and Joe Walsh.
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Louis Walsh Wife | Is Louis Walsh Married
Is Louis Walsh Gay | Louis Walsh Partner
Walsh prefers to keep his private life extremely confidential. It is however reported that he is not married neither does he have children. There no records of him dating anyone in the public eye.
In 2012, in Las Vegas and for an X Factor spoof, Louis “married” Caroline Flack. They wed at the infamous Little White Chapel and were wed by an Elvis impersonator ahead of a judge’s houses segment. The ceremony was gatecrashed by Sharon Osbourne. However, he has never acknowledged having a partner in real life and always deflects questions about his love life.
Louis Walsh Children | Daughter
Walsh has no known children. He keeps his private life to himself and dodges questions whenever asked.
X Factor Louis Walsh
Since 2004 to 2017, Walsh has appeared as a judge on the ITV talent show, The X Factor. He appeared as a judge alongside Simon Cowell and Sharon Osbourne. He found chart success with G4 in 2004, who went on to have a chart topping album and completed two tours of the UK.
He also managed the winner of winner of the second series of The X Factor in 2005, Shayne Ward, whose debut single “That’s My Goal” spent four weeks at UK number one. Walsh later quit the show in November 2005 which was during the mid-series. He quit out of protest regarding his treatment on the show; the most explicit example being Osbourne drenching him with water during a live recording.
He then returned on the Saturday evening’s live show, stating that he could not abandon his remaining competitor and eventual winner, Shayne Ward. Ward won the competition with over 10 million votes in the final while Walsh won The X Factor: Battle of the Stars with actress Lucy Benjamin.
In March 2007, ITV announced that Walsh would not return as a judge on The X Factor and added that he was not kicked out of the scene but he would remain behind the scenes managing some acts from the show. The decision to be replaced with two other judges came as a shock to him, this according to the UK tabloid newspaper The Sun.
He was then replaced on the panel by American choreographer Brian Friedman. The new team was now made up of Osbourne, Cowell, Friedman and new judge Dannii Minogue and appeared at the London auditions. As days went by, Cowell decided to re-hire Walsh to the panel and hire Friedman as a choreographer for the live show stages.
He confirmed on June 22 2007 that he would be returning as a judge for the fourth series of The X Factor. As Cowell had planned Friedman then became the show’s creative director. In the fourth series, he mentored the Over 25’s category. In the ‘Judges Houses’ stage of the competition, he took his acts to Dublin and invited guest Kian Egan to help him decide who to take through to the live shows.
Due to his comments about the spice Girls Cowell reportedly told him off. He had said that the girl group were “past their sell-by date” and lacking in talent yet Cowell already had plans to book the girls on the show.
He returned for the fifth series along with Cowell, Minogue and Cheryl Cole, in 2008. Cheryl Cole was hired after Osbourne quit the previous series in June. Walsh mentored and chose JLS, Girlband and Bad Lashes to represent him in the live shows during the fifth series.
He took his acts to Castle Leslie in Ireland during the judges houses stage where he was aided by Westlife star Shane Filan. In his team, Bad Lashes and Girlband were the first two acts to be eliminated over the first two weeks, but JLS finished as runners-up. Walsh returned to the sixth series show in 2009, again mentoring the groups for the fourth time in six years.
During the judges houses stage, the Groups and Walsh flew to Lake Como in Italy where Boyzone singer Ronan Keating helped Walsh pick his final three. Walsh took Kandy Rain, Miss Frank and John & Edward to the live shows. Kandy Rain were eliminated in the first live results show, from which Walsh was absent due to the sudden death of Boyzone member Stephen Gately.
Walsh was absent again on the Saturday and Sunday of the second week of live shows due to Gately’s funeral on 17 October. In week three, Miss Frank were eliminated from the competition, while John & Edward were eliminated in week seven, though went on to have successful careers in the industry.
In 2010, Walsh mentored the Over 28s category on the seventh series of The X Factor. In the judges houses stage, Walsh took his acts to Adare in Ireland. Walsh was helped by former judge Osbourne. His last surviving act, Mary Byrne, was eliminated in the semi-final on 5 December 2010.
Walsh returned to the show in 2011 for series eight. He joined new panellists Gary Barlow, Kelly Rowland and Tulisa, who replaced former judges Cowell, Minogue and Cole, all of whom left the show after series seven. This meant that, following Cowell’s departure, Walsh became the only original judge left on the programme.
During the Bootcamp stages it was announced that he would mentor the Over 25s category for the rest of the competition. In the Judges Houses stage, Walsh took his acts to Barcelona in Spain where he was aided by Cowell’s former assistant judge Sinitta. His most successful act of the competition was Kitty Brucknell who made it to week six of the live shows before she was eliminated.
Walsh chose Brucknell, Sami Brookes, Johnny Robinson and Jonjo Kerr to go through to the live shows. During the live shows of series eight, in an interview with former judge Minogue, Walsh stated that he “didn’t know” whether he would return as a judge in 2012. However, on 3 May 2012, Walsh confirmed he would return for his ninth series alongside Tulisa and Barlow.
Former American X Factor judge Nicole Scherzinger who replaced Kelly Rowland joined Walsh, Contostavlos and Barlow as the new full-time judge for ninth series. Walsh substituted for Cowell at the Kansas City auditions for season two of the American version while Cowell was recovering from bronchitis.
He joined the other season two judges: L.A. Reid, Demi Lovato and Britney Spears, and was introduced with the line, “When Simon needs an opinion from someone he trusts, I’m the man he calls”. His episode broke ratings records for the series.
In the tenth series was joined by Barlow, Scherzinger and fellow original judge Osbourne, who replaced Tulisa. He mentored the Boys category, which consisted of Nicholas McDonald, Luke Friend, and Sam Callahan. McDonald finished in second place to Sam Bailey, mentored by Osbourne.
Despite not winning, this was still by far Louis’ most successful year as a judge on the show due to going 5 weeks (breaking a record) without having any of his boys in the bottom 2 and had two of them (Luke Friend and Nicholas Mcdonald) in the final.
In 2014, Walsh returned for the eleventh series, while Barlow, Osbourne and Scherzinger were replaced by former judges Cowell and Cole, and new judge Mel B. In 2015, Walsh stated that he was considering not returning to the twelfth series of The X Factor and replaced by Nick Grimshaw, citing his desire to return to full-time music management.
After rumours circulated that he had been fired from the show, Walsh announced his decision to quit the show, stating that he had not been fired, but he was not “hanging around for them this year.”
In 2016, Walsh returned as a judge to replace Nick Grimshaw for the thirteenth series, alongside Cowell, Osbourne and Scherzinger. The same judges returned for the fourteenth series.
On 7 June 2018, Walsh announced he had decided to leave the talent show after what he described as 13 “fantastic” years. “The show needs a change and I’m ready to leave,” said Walsh in a statement.
He added that he would remain a judge on Ireland’s Got Talent, as well as focusing more on “my day job as a manager, writing my memoirs and seeing the world”.
Louis Walsh Height
He is 1.75 meters tall.
Louis Walsh Net Worth | How Much Is Louis Walsh Worth
Walsh has an estimated net worth of about $150 million dollars.
Louis Walsh House | Home
Louis Walsh Singing
Louis Walsh Bands
The following are pop bands that Walsh has managed since he became a manager in the 90s:
- Myles and Connor – 2012 to present
- Shane Filan – 2012 to present
- Hometown – 2013 to 16
- Union J – 2013 to 15
- Wonderland – 2010 to 11
- Jedward – 2009 to 13
- Shayne Ward – 2005 to 09
- G4 – 2004 to 07
- Girls Aloud – 2002
- Six – 2001 to 02
- Ronan Keating – 2000 to 03
- Samantha Mumba – 2000 to 02
- Westlife – 1998 to 2012
- Boyzone – 1993 to 2000
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Louis Walsh ‘favourite to replace Sharon Osborne’ after she was axed for calling Simon Cowell a ‘fat-faced f**k’
Updated on: Tuesday 2 October 2018
Louis Walsh may be stepping back on to The X Factor stage after all, as bookies suggest the former judge is top of the wish list to replace axed Sharon Osborne. Mrs O was set to stand in for judge Robbie Williams, who will miss a handful of episodes due to previous engagements, but with the long-term manager sent her marching orders from Simon Cowell, talk turns to who can step in last minute. Louis, a long time judge on the show who notoriously only won the show once, has odds of 2/1 to step in and cover Robbie, while another former judge Nicole Scherzinger is next in the betting at 5/2.
Elsewhere, 5/1 says Dannii Minogue returns while odds of 7/2 suggest Mel B could also be who Simon turns to in his hour of need. Alex Apati of Ladbrokes said: ‘The betting suggests Simon Cowell and Co will turn to a familiar face when Robbie jets off during the live shows, and as things stand Louis Walsh is the shock favourite to get the call-up.’
Simon and the Thames TV team are thought to have axed Sharon after a series of comments in which she described him as a ‘fat-faced fuck’ and laid into several elements of the show. However after the claims that she was fired were published, Sharon has said that she ‘passed’ on this year’s series as the team were ‘doing brilliantly’ without her.
The message, uploaded onto her Twitter and Facebook feeds, sees the former judge thank Simon Cowell for his ‘grace’ in finding her a spot but after watching the series, thought it was better off without her. The team behind X Factor added their thanks to the star, and said in a statement: ‘The X Factor can confirm Sharon Osbourne has decided not to return to this year’s show.’
Adopted from: metro.co.uk
