Louis Walsh, who labelled John and Edward Grimes, popularly known as Jedward, "vile" during their time as participants on X Factor, has received backlash from the stars.
Speaking with Colson Smith in the Big Brother house on Tuesday (March 12), the 71-year-old former X Factor judge was questioned about his experience working with the Irish duo.And when he responded, “They were vile”, audiences were shocked.Walsh said: “They were vile, but they were great. I got £5m for them, I swear on my mother’s life.”
In 2009, the Irish duo Jedward competed in the sixth season of X Factor, finishing sixth behind winners Joe McElderry, Olly Murs, and Stacey Solomon.Walsh mentored them throughout his 13 seasons as a judge on the UK edition of X Factor, which also included Dannii Minogue, Simon Cowell, and Cheryl Cole as mentors and judges that year.
What did the pair have to say about Walsh’s comments?
They wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, moments after Walsh's comments aired: "Louis Walsh is a cold hearted b*****d who didn’t even send us flowers when our mom died."
Louis Walsh is a cold hearted bastard who didn’t even send us flowers when our mom died
— JEDWARD (@planetjedward) March 12, 2024
The official Jedward account continued to tweet that they "fired" Louis after he "b*****d and talked about us".
Louis Walsh Bitched and talked about us to our best friend Tara Reid and then we fired him!
— JEDWARD (@planetjedward) March 12, 2024
Further tweets labelled him as a "vile manipulator" and “an absolute weirdo with bad intentions for all".
Louis Walsh tried to make us sign our name and life away in dodgy contracts to people he was great friends with without our mom we wouldn’t be here today! What an absolute weirdo with bad intentions for all ..does he like anyone?
— JEDWARD (@planetjedward) March 12, 2024
"All future acts should be made aware of what this VILE man is actually like," they wrote .Adding, "Louis reopened these wounds all by himself being spiteful and disrespectful. We won't have our character taken. Justice will be served".
Louis reopened these wounds all by himself being spiteful and disrespectful we aren’t going to have our character taken. Justice will be served
— JEDWARD (@planetjedward) March 12, 2024
Shortly after, their friend Gemma Collins, who used to be on The Only Way is Essex (TOWIE), shared a number of videos on her Instagram stories where they discussed Walsh.
Speaking to the camera with the Irish duo next to her, she said: “Louis, don’t be slagging off my boys. They’re not vile, they’re beautiful in every single way.”
The camera then turned to the twins: “I can’t believe we’re even watching you on the show, you’re like a cat with nine lives. How many times can you slag off your acts? It’s a disgrace.”
The Standard has contacted Louis Walsh for comment.
The former cast member of TOWIE claimed to be "upset" by Walsh's remarks about her friends, but she had nothing against him.
Collins later shared on Instagram: “They are the sweetest talented polite educated kind boys I’ve ever met hence why they are always in my company! TEAM JEDWARD!”.
