Veteran X Factor judge Louis Walsh has opened up about departing the show after eleven years and spilled the beans on making a cameo in the promo of the new series of the singing competition.
The 63-year-old music manager said that he didn't enjoy the last series of the show at all and thinks he "was just there too long."
Speaking on RTÉ 2fm's The Nicky Byrne Show with Jenny Greene, Walsh said: “I didn't love it last year if I’m really honest with you. I liked it and it paid me well but I think I was just there too long and I was cracking up a bit.”
Walsh revealed that his favourite season on the show was two years ago, when he sat alongside Sharon Osbourne, Nicole Scherzinger and Gary Barlow.
"The year before I had the best time ever with Sharon Osbourne, Gary Barlow and Nicole [Scherzinger] - I loved the three of them and had the best fun ever. I didn't love last year if I'm really, really honest with you," he said.
When asked about his surprise appearance as a cleaner in the new promotional video for the upcoming series of The X Factor, the former Westlife manager said: "I was in London doing one of those silly TV shows and I got a call to say will I do The X Factor promo, and I thought it was Ant & Dec setting me up. I said 'okay if you pay me X amount' and they said 'okay we'll pay it' so I said 'I'm there!'
"It was funny because Simon was there and Rita and Cheryl and the new guy Nick Grimshaw. I had fun with them all. I spend a lot of time with Rita, she's definitely a funny, funny bunny. I really got on well with her."
When asked by Green how he thinks new judge Grimshaw will do, who has a background in DJing and presenting, Walsh said: "I think he will do ok. I thought it was a strange choice originally. I thought it was going to be Lionel Richie, and that would have been a good call.”
“I hope he works out, it’ll be tough during the live shows cause you really have to mentor them," he added.
The X Factor returns later this month.
