Louis Walsh is known for creating music magic, with the likes of Boyzone, Westlife and even Jedward – but the star became caught up in a number of feuds on the path to success.
Whether that’s making cruel jibes to fellow stars of reality shows such as The X Factor to a troubled relationship with one of the successful pop acts he managed, Boyzone, let’s look at Louis Walsh‘s biggest feuds.
The members of Boyzone are opening up about their time working with Louis Walsh (Credit: Sky/NOW TV)
Louis Walsh Vs Boyzone
The 72-year-old found fame from managing four of Ireland’s most successful artists and bands in the 1990s and 2000s, namely, Johnny Logan, Westlife, Boyzone and twins Jedward.
He became a recognisable face after appearing on the Irish version of Popstars before becoming a TV judge on ITV’s spin-off The Rivals. He managed Girls Aloud of the show, who went on to have international success. One member of the band, Cheryl Tweedy, would later become a TV judge and found herself a part of a feud with Louis Walsh – but we’ll come to that later.
Louis Walsh’s relationship with one of his successes are at the centre of a Sky documentary, Boyzone: No Matter What, which delves into the group’s golden years. However, through interviews, it’s clear they weren’t exactly on good terms with one another.
Despite their achievements – 21 songs in the Top 40 UK chart and 22 in the Irish – the boyband has criticised the X Factor star’s methods. Now, Ronan Keating, Keith Duffy, Mikey Graham and Shane Lynch are speaking out. They also remember their fellow singer, Stephen Gately, who tragically died suddenly from an undiagnosed heart condition.
Louis admits using the press to keep Boyzone in the limelight (Credit: Lorraine/ITV)
Louis sold stories to the press
To keep the band’s momentum going, Louis Walsh admitted he would feed stories to the press to ensure they remained in the headlines. He had a connection to The Sun’s Rav Singh who later outed Stephen Gately on the front page.
Ronan said the constant stories impacted them, explaining: “He believed any story was a good story. He would make up stories constantly about the band, about relationships with girlfriends that didn’t exist.
“It scarred us. It was hugely scarring what the media did to us all.”
Although Louis didn’t – and still to this day – see an issue with it.
When the group parted ways, the manager began working with Ronan at the beginning of his solo career. The Irish pop star carved out a name for himself, reaching number one for hit singles like Life Is A Rollercoaster and When You Say Nothing At All.
It didn’t last, though. Louis and Ronan parted ways in 2009 and the Popstars judge called him ‘talentless and spoiled’ years later.
He didn’t stop there either, lashing out again in a rant when he took part in Celebrity Big Brother. Coronation Street star Colson Smith said: “Ronan has been the most successful star from Boyzone…” before Louis Walsh chimed in with: “Then? Nothing”.
He then added: “He hasn’t had a hit record since I left. He sacked me.”
Other members of the group speak out
It wasn’t just Ronan who had a problem, as Keith revealed Louis’ jibes damaged his confidence, claiming the manager would mock him for his position within the group.
The singer said he felt ‘suppressed’ and he couldn’t get ahead to show off his own talent.
Speaking about the dark side of the relationship on the Stripping Off with Matt Haycox podcast, he said: “Louis would introduce me to people as, ‘This is Keith, the big one in the back that can’t sing’. It shattered my confidence.”
Whereas Lynch admitted Louis “promised us the sun, moon, and stars.”
Then Graham admitted he found the final tour ‘toxic’ before they broke up in 2000. After forming in 1993 as a rival for Take That, it was over, until they got back together for a 25th anniversary tour in 2018. That same year they announced they were breaking up for good.
Simon never let Louis’ remarks get to him (Credit: YouTube)
Louis Walsh Vs Simon Cowell
While in the Big Brother house, Louis also hit back at another famous face – Simon Cowell.
Sharon worked with the millionaire on the singing show and talent series America’s Got Talent between 2004 and 2017. Louis, on the other hand was on The X Factor in the same time period and a judge on Ireland’s Got Talent in 2018 and 2019.
It’s clear the trio have known each other for a long time.
While Sharon and Louis were on the show, the 72-year-old claimed she and Simon were never friends.
The star, married to Ozzy Osbourne, declared she would never return to the series ‘not [for] all the money in the world’. She further claimed Simon ‘cuts’ people off, and doesn’t know ‘how to keep friends’.
The duo mocked the 65-year-old’s staple phrases he’d use on the panel as well as his fashion sense.
There’s no hard feelings
Despite the jibes, Simon believes the scenes were quite funny, even at his expense.
He reacted to the swipes to The Mirror: “If you put Sharon and Louis in the house, that’s what you pay them for, they’re going to be controversial.”
Adding he does believe Sharon and Louis are “great friends” to him. “I don’t have a phone but from what I heard, what they said about me was actually quite funny,” Simon said.
“And I probably will phone them both in the next week or so, because I haven’t spoken to them for a while and it sounds like I should do.”
Cheryl and Louis Walsh’s feud goes back several years (Credit: ITV/Piers Morgan Life Stories)
Louis Walsh Vs Cheryl
Louis looked after Girls Aloud on Popstars: The Rivals, although he admitted years later he wanted the boy band One True Voice instead.
They went on to become one of the most successful girl groups in British history – but it didn’t stop Louis Walsh’s feud with Cheryl.
But he made comments about their weight and reportedly sent the group to boot camp to tone up.
Louis said he never regretted his actions: “With Girls Aloud, at the start I told them they had to lose a bit of weight. I know I said it in so many words. But they did and they look amazing,” he said. “I did it because they were competing with the Spice Girls. If it were now, I would still say it. I would tell them in a nice way. You have to be honest.”
They appeared to have made amends by 2008 when Cheryl joined the judging panel on The X Factor. But it didn’t last long. Two years later, he teased her on-air for looking orange.
In 2012, the singer claimed to Marie Claire that he didn’t really ‘manage’ the group.
She said: “We worked like crazy in those days. We didn’t stop for breath. We never had management. Louis claimed to be our manager but he never did it. We didn’t talk to him or anything like that. He just took a cheque. Literally, we didn’t have management.”
She went on to allege he never chose any of their biggest hits, and that the girls in the group did so instead.
This upset Louis, who bit back, declaring their friendship was officially over.
He told The Mirror at the time: “I was always the first to defend her on the X Factor, and always watched her back. I thought we were friends. I won’t stand for anyone criticising me professionally and if I was in London right now I’d give her a piece of my mind.”
When it seemed things had settled, Louis Walsh reignited the feud again on the same show he called out Simon Cowell and Boyzone star Ronan Keating.
He admitted the judges became too competitive on the series, and launched another attack on her.
He said: “Cheryl was, she was kinda smug with me, I wanted to beat her as well.”
When a fellow contestant asked whehter she was nice in real life, he still made a dig in a response.
Louis replied: “Yeah, she is. She’s not perfect but she’s nice.”
He added: “She’s a good girl, she’s good. She’s had a lot of negativity but I like her. She doesn’t know that, I like her more than she likes me.”
Liam Payne hit back at the music manager after he made a jibe towards Cheryl (Credit: The Graham Norton Show)
Louis Walsh Vs Liam Payne
Fast-forward to 2016, and Louis unleashed again – this time upsetting late singer Liam Payne.
He had taken a swipe at the star, who was pregnant with Liam’s son Bear at the time.
During a photocall with his band 5 After Midnight, he was asked what he’d do if Cheryl returned as a judge on the singing competition.
“Well Simon wouldn’t invite Cheryl back because we have Nicole,” he retorted.
“We have Nicole and Sharon, we don’t need another girl. So go and [bleep] off now! No silly questions, seriously.”
Then he added he wasn’t ‘really excited’ about her first baby as the duo weren’t in contact.
Liam, raging, slammed Louis on Twitter. The One Direction singer fumed: “Congratulations Louis Walsh for setting the worst example on handling media for his band who are about to step into a very hard industry.
“Maybe it’s about time you realise it’s not all about you and shut the [bleep] up for once, let them speak.”
It didn’t cause any bad blood though, as Louis called Liam a “nice guy” afterwards.
In true Louis style, he couldn’t help but give a backhanded compliment. He added: “I think Cheryl and Liam starting a family will make her really happy. I honestly think she deserves to be happy.“And I think this will make her happy over and above what her career does.”
Watch Louis Walsh in Boyzone: No Matter What on Sky and NOW TV from February 2.
Louis has burned a lot of bridges
The post Louis Walsh’s long list of famous feuds from being ‘jealous’ of Boyzone and cruel Cheryl jibe to angering Liam Payne appeared first on Entertainment Daily. Entertainment DailyRead More
