Louis Walsh says Cheryl Fernandez-Versini needs X Factor axe: She's lost her energy | London Evening Standard

Louis Walsh says Cheryl Fernandez-Versini needs X Factor axe: She's lost her energyThe music manager said the singer needs to focus on her music careerAxe Factor: Louis Walsh wants Cheryl Fernandez-Versini to step downTim P. Whitby/Getty

Louis Walsh has said Cheryl Fernandez-Versini should be axed from her role as judge on The X Factor.

Walsh, 63, said the singer - who he once managed as part of Girls Aloud - has lost "energy" and needs to focus on her music career.

"Cheryl needs a rest," he told the Daily Star.

“She’s lost a bit of energy, she should go away, make a record and maybe record another hit."

Walsh also claimed Simon Cowell regretted letting him leave the show and had plans to reinstate him as a judge on last year's show.

"Simon has already said he wished he hadn't let me go," Walsh said. "He wanted to bring me back in the middle of the last series, but I thought it would be odd with five judges."

Walsh - who was a judge on the ITV show for nine series - said Cowell needs to reevaluate the format and scrap arena auditions.

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He finished: "X Factor went off the boil last year – Simon tweaked it too much.

"He needs to bring back the old X Factor, have the auditions in a small room."

Nick Grimshaw has announced his departure from the show after one series while Caroline Flack and Olly Murs have stepped down from their role as hosts.

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