TV legends reunite six years after iconic show ended

30.07.2024 00:04:49 Yorum Yok Görüntülenme
The X Factor judges are back together (Picture: Syco/Thames/REX/Shutterstock)

Louis Walsh and Simon Cowell are back together again doing what they do best – judging others.

The pals sat on a panel together for ITV’s The X Factor, which ran from 2004 until 2018, and now they’ve hit the road in search of talent once more for The Midas Touch, which will reportedly be housed on Netflix.

The TV show aims to find the next big boyband after Simon, 64, decided to take it upon himself to fill what he thinks is a gap in the market. The latest auditions took place in Dublin so Irish Louis naturally had to get involved.

Louis, 71, has plenty of experience that could come in handy having managed both Boyzone and Westlife, while he also mentored JLS through The X Factor in 2008.

Fans will remember on the Saturday night talent show, which attracted 19.4 million viewers at its peak, Simon and Louis had a unique relationship. Although supportive of each other, there was a definitive competitive streak and they were often unafraid to poke fun at each other.

That dynamic will be on full display again so viewers need to get prepared to watch a few playful squabbles.

Simon Cowell and Louis Walsh at auditions for a new boyband show
Simon and Louis are back together again (Picture: Mark Doyle / SplashNews.com)
Simon Cowell and Louis Walsh catch up at auditions
The old friends had a catch-up after arriving at the venue in Dublin (Picture: Mark Doyle / SplashNews.com)
Simon Cowell, Sharon Osbourne and Louis Walsh on The X Factor
Simon Cowell, Sharon Osbourne and Louis Walsh on The X Factor in 2005 (Picture: Ken McKay/Shutterstock)

However, things have started out very friendly between the twosome. When the old pals arrived at the venue, they looked very happy to be in each other’s company again.

It seemed like no time had passed as they posed for photos, and greeted hopefuls waiting in the queues.

At one point, Louis leaned into Simon to whisper something into his ear. Louis could be bringing back some of his well-used catchphrases for his appearance and so perhaps he got himself warmed up by telling Simon that he reminds him of a young Pete Waterman, or expressed that he had a lot of potential. Or maybe, he said: ‘You look like a popstar, you sing like a popstar, you ARE (not) a popstar!

Simon Cowell installs a billboard in London
Simon wants to find future megastars (Picture: Joe Pepler/PinPep)

Simon has been going the extra mile to attract the right people to his future hit-making scheme. Billboards were erected with his face splashed across, and the words: ‘Simon Needs You. Future megastars wanted for new boyband. No timewasters.’

Those interested are encouraged to visit his website, Simon Needs You. When visiting the homepage it asks: ‘ARE YOU AGED AROUND 16-18 AND A GLOBAL SUPERSTAR IN THE MAKING?’ Define ‘around’ Simon…

Simon is passionately pursuing this path because, since One Direction, there ‘hasn’t been a successful boyband,’ he claims – although not everyone agrees with this statement, as they feel it erases the success of Korean groups like BTS and Seventeen.

‘Right now record labels aren’t signing enough new talent,’ Simon told Daily Mail.

‘So the amount of UK artists who are breaking worldwide has literally fallen off a cliff because I think there is too much competition online.

‘People don’t knock on your door saying, “I’ve got a new band”. It doesn’t happen. You’ve got to go out there yourself and do it. So that’s what we are doing.’

Simon Cowell puts up posters at The Cavern Club, Liverpool
Simon is on a personal mission (Picture: Phil Oldham/PinPep)

Auditions will continue with three dates in London next month, after they previously stopped off at Liverpool.

In one photo taken at the Albert Dock venue and obtained by The Sun, only a few people were queuing, but they were clearly prepared for many more with multiple railings set up to control the situation.

Simon has said there is no need for concern and insisted they are auditioning more people than they were during X Factor, which attracted tens of thousands of people.

While speaking to Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary on This Morning he explained it was slow at the start but there were plenty of hopefuls now.

Louis Walsh and Sharon Osbourne and Simon Cowell on The X Factor in 2004
The original judging panel on The X Factor (Picture: Shutterstock)
Sharon Osbourne and Louis Walsh in the diary room on Celebrity Big Brother
Sharon and Louis spoke about Simon while appearing on Celebrity Big Brother (Picture: Rex Features/Shutterstock for Big Brother)

Louis’ reunion with Simon may be slightly shocking to those who tuned into the ITV reality show Celebrity Big Brother. During the series, Louis was loose-lipped while chatting with another former The X Factor judge and fellow housemate Sharon Osbourne.

During one conversation, Sharon said she wouldn’t return to the role ‘not [for] all the money in the world’, while the duo also discussed how Simon ‘cuts you off’, with Sharon alleging he didn’t ‘know how to keep friends’.

Sharon and Louis also sniped about Simon’s unchanging fashion sense over ‘probably three decades’ as well as staple phrases on the talent shows like ‘Do you have another song?’, ‘I didn’t like it, I loved it’ and ‘Tell me your story’.

Despite their comments, Simon insisted that they were both still his friends.

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