NO ROLE MODEL
And Tulisa did not discover Little Mix
® X FACTOR pop boss Louis Walsh has launched a blistering attack on former judges Rita Ora and Tulisa Contostavlos.
The mischief-maker claims Rita’s pop career is going nowhere.
The Irishman blasted: “She’s turned into more of a clothes horse than a pop star.”
And Louis insisted Tulisa could not claim sole credit for guiding her girlband Little Mix to victory on The X Factor in 2011.
He said: “I helped her put Little Mix together!”
The veteran boyband manager spilled the beans in an exclusive chat with the Daily Star while filming his X Factor judges’ houses slot in Ibiza recently.
Louis is back on the ITV talent show after being axed last year.
He is very outspoken about the 2015 “too cool for school” panel which comprised DJ Nick Grimshaw, Cheryl and Rita. All three have since left the show.
He said: “I would have only come back if the panel was good.
“I would have said no to other people. I only want the people I love, who work hard and people I want to go out for dinner with on a Sunday.”
The former manager of Westlife and Boyzone admits he revelled in the fact that last year’s X Factor flopped in the ratings after show supremo Simon Cowell made several changes to the format.
He added: “It was too cool for school last year. I’m glad it flopped. I used to check the ratings every week – I was so happy.”
This year Louis is mentoring the bands category.
In a luxury villa in Ibiza, he enlisted the help of Alesha Dixon and Fleur East to help him pick the best three groups for the live shows.
Viewers will see who he chooses this weekend.
Flamboyant Bradley and Ottavio – dubbed “the new Jedward’’ – are in the mix and Louis is the first to admit that if he selects them, it will cause fireworks.
He explained: “I think they’re an act people will love to hate. “
But he denied they were a joke act, adding: “They put a lot of work into it, even with the silly outfits.
“Ultimately I think I have got three acts who are going to have very good careers off the back of this show.”
During his time on the party island, Louis was mobbed by revellers at Ibiza Rocks. ¬
The X Factor judges’ houses is on ITV tomorrow at 8pm and on Sunday at 7.30pm.