'X Factor' judge Louis Walsh has said he was sacked from the show in 2007 because of his age and that fellow judge Simon Cowell is "touchy" about his hair and height.
In a Glamour magazine interview to be published on Thursday, Walsh says: "I was sacked - that's the truth of it. And I was devastated. When I got the phone call I felt like I'd been run over by a train.
"I just wasn't prepared for it. ITV wanted to make it younger, and so they axed me. It was like a public execution. It honestly was the worst thing that has ever happened to me."
Walsh, who later returned to the show, is asked if the decision was "pure ageism".
He replies: "Yes, but luckily the people who sacked me are no longer there, and I am."
On the subject of Cowell, he says: "Underneath those flares, there are some serious heels going on.
"He's always trying these facials and buys unbelievably expensive face creams from Harrods. Oh, and he has this hairdryer he carries around."
On the relationship between Cheryl Cole and Danni Minogue, Walsh says: "What I like is seeing the girls looking at one another thinking, 'Where did she get that dress? Why didn't I get that dress?' And, 'Who did her hair?'
"They are always kissing each other and complimenting each other but really it's a mixture between a catwalk and a catfight. Simon and me are the two ugly bookends."
