Louis Walsh mocks Cheryl after admitting he doesn’t want to manage Girls Aloud

Louis Walsh was one of four judges who appeared on the very popular ITV show Popstars: The Rivals in 2002, which was one of the first talent shows to appear on mainstream television.

Popstars: Rivals Judge Louis Walsh has admitted he “doesn’t want” to manage Girls Aloud.

The 69-year-old music manager was one of the judges – along with DJ Dr Neil Fox, music producer Pete Waterman and former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell – on the hugely popular 2002 ITV show, which was one of the first talent shows to hit mainstream TV.

A flurry of talent shows have hit our screens since like the X Factor and Britain’s Got Talent, which recently saw comedian Axel Blake land his spot at the Royal Variety Performance and earn got £250,000 earlier this month.

But Popstars: The Rivals, which came out just months after Will Young overtook Gareth Gates for the Pop Idol crown, has seen contestants try for places in a boy band and girl band. went head-to-head in the Christmas issue. one place.

Louis enjoyed great success with Irish bands Westlife and Boyzone and envisioned he would get the boy band on the show but was delivered to his disappointment by the girls.

Speaking to The Sun, Louis said: “I thought I was going to form a boy band – I was convinced. And they gave me the girls. I didn’t want them.

“The girls don’t like each other in the band – it’s very simple. They both want to be the front girl.”

He also delved into Cheryl, with whom he had a long-standing feud that began during his time managing the band from 2002 to 2004 and continued even as she became a judge on the X Factor alongside Louis on 2008.

“They all want to hang out with footballers. They all want to be the thinnest,” he added.

“Just look at the Sugababes, whatever squad they have, and they’re excellent.

“So I had these five girls on Girls Aloud and we were so lucky to have found this great song, Sound Of The Underground.”

Girls Aloud won the battle between the genders by taking Christmas number one in 2002 ahead of boy band One True Voice, with Cheeky Girls, who also auditioned for the show, in the top three. .

The five tracks went on to hit a record 20 consecutive top 10 hits in the UK, including four number-one hits and a Brit award.

Louis also admitted he only became a judge on TV because a producer offered him “a large sum of money” that he couldn’t refuse.

He concluded, “I don’t want to be on TV, I’m happy managing bands. I’ve made good money as a manager.

“Then he offered me some money and I said yes. Anyway, it was to do something I enjoyed doing.”

Do you have a story to sell? Contact us at webcelebs@mirror.co.uk or call us directly 0207 29 33033.