X Factor 2011 (UK show)

[Perdita]

LOUIS Walsh is facing the axe from X Factor — in a shake-up that could see Simon Cowell return.

Judge Louis, 59, was forced into a humiliating apology live on air last night after branding 19-year-old wannabe Misha Bryan a bully.

Bosses also blame Cowell's switch to US X Factor for a fall in viewing figures. A massive 2.5 million fans have turned off X Factor during the current series — and ITV executives have begged Simon, 52, to return.

Last night Simon said cryptically: \"I'm flattered that people are missing me — but I don't want anyone to miss the show.\"

Insiders suggested Simon could replace Louis next year, when the show will be in its ninth year.

A well-placed source said: \"It doesn't take a genius to work out that Simon not being on has hit the ratings.

\"ITV are happy with the panel. They think they're great. But they realise when it comes to X Factor judges, there isn't anyone like Simon. He IS X Factor.

\"Simon has a lot on his plate in America with the US X Factor but he has not ruled out a return.

\"The likelihood is that Louis will be gone next year — and Simon could make a welcome return.\"

In the event that Louis goes but Cowell cannot return, the search will be on be on for a \"Simon Mk2\" to appear alongside Gary Barlow.

Louis was dumped briefly in 2007 and replaced by choreographer Brian Friedman — before Cowell rehired him.

ITV said: \"The show remains the most popular entertainment programme and this is the second most popular series in its eight-year history.\"

source: The Sun

X FACTOR boss Simon Cowell has backed Louis Walsh and told him: “Your job is safe.”

The music mogul threw his weight behind the Irishman amid claims he could be dumped from the ITV1 show over Saturday’s bullying row.

It had been reported Simon, 52, was plotting to axe Louis, 59, after he claimed Misha Bryan had been bullying his acts.

But we can exclusively reveal Simon texted his pal early yesterday and told him: “You have my word, your job is safe.”

Simon, who is an executive producer, has been closely monitoring this series from Los Angeles.

He wants to see a 50% ratings increase but has told all the judges he is happy with them.

An insider said: “Simon knows a new panel needs time to bed in. He’s not worried, the show is still pulling in millions of viewers.

“And these claims Louis is getting the elbow are utter nonsense.”

But one person who hopes Louis is sent packing is the latest booted-out wannabe, Sami Brookes.

Nearly 14million tuned in on Sunday to see the 31-year-old get voted out.

The bitter wannabe told the Daily Star: “I think Louis should be replaced.

“It’s a new show, there should be all new judges. He’s old-fashioned now.”

She claimed Louis was more interested in Kitty, 26, than either her or his other act Johnny Robinson, 45.

She added: “She’s all he cares about.”


http://www.dailystar.co.uk/xfactor/v...e-Louis-Walsh/

[Perdita]

SEETHING X Factor judge Kelly Rowland was AWOL last night — after jetting back to the USA.

The Destiny's Child star, 30, deserted her acts — including hot favourite Misha B — after her TV bust-up with fellow judge Tulisa Contostavlos, 23.

A worried ITV1 source admitted yesterday: "We don't know where she is."

Show sources accused her of leaving the wannabes she is supposed to be mentoring "in the lurch" after throwing her toys out of the pram.

Her flight home came hours after Sunday's tense show — in which she refused to speak to fellow judge Tulisa Contostavlos or even LOOK at the N-Dubz star

The pair spectacularly fell out the previous night as millions of Saturday viewers saw Kelly's 19-year-old protege Misha Bryan branded a "bully" live on TV.

Yesterday the very girl Kelly defended was among acts to find themselves deserted — as the judge left Britain's top telly show clueless about her whereabouts.

An insider said: "If I was one of them I'd be thinking, 'Great ... thanks'. As the contest heats up, she's left them in the lurch all week. It's very arrogant."

The others Kelly is meant to be coaching are Sophie Habibis, 19, and Janet Devlin, 16. X Factor bosses were praying the mentor — thought to be in Los Angeles — returns in time for next weekend's shows

Tulisa was described as "baffled" by the rumpus — since it was not even her who used the word "bullying" about Misha's off-screen attitude to a fellow contestant.


That remark came from Louis Walsh — who 24 hours later on Sunday's show apologised live on air.

Tulisa DID say Misha had made "mean comments". But a pal said: "She was expecting to bury the hatchet with Kelly on Sunday night. Kelly was having none of it.

"She had a major sense-of-humour failure — and was trying to suggest Tulisa was deliberately trying to destabilise her."

The chum added: "She's not going to go crawling to Kelly. Tulisa is too stubborn for that — and who could blame her?"

Source: The Sun

Kelly Rowland's representatives have played down claims that the X Factor judge has fled after clashes with her show colleagues.

The former Destiny's Child star has jetted back to Los Angeles for "business" but will return to guide her acts on Thursday.

Her spokeswoman said the trip had been in her diary for a long time.

It follows a report that she had "flounced" back to the US after falling out with fellow judge Tulisa Contostavlos.

Kelly's spokeswoman said that, despite heading home for a few days, she would remain in "constant contact" with her acts, Misha Bryan, Sophie Habibis and Janet Devlin.

"She is in LA for business and is only there for three days. She will be coming back on Thursday to see the girls," said the spokeswoman.

"She is not missing anything and will be in constant contact with the contestants by Skype and talking to them every day, and she is being sent MP3s of the songs. This has been in her diary for a long time."

A spokeswoman for The X Factor said she could not comment.

Meanwhile ousted contestant Sami Brookes has said her mentor, Louis Walsh, should make way for a new judge.

The 31-year-old singer, from Rhyl in North Wales, spoke out after Louis , the only remaining judge from the earlier series, sealed her fate with the deciding vote at the weekend.

PA

[Perdita]

X Factor girlband Rhythmix have announced that they are to change their name.

The show had come under pressure from a children's music charity of the same name after it tried to trademark "Rhythmix" in Europe.

"At the request of the charity Rhythmix, the members of the girl group Rhythmix have decided to change their name, a decision which has the support of Syco and TalkbackTHAMES," an X Factor spokesperson said.

"The group's new name will be announced in due course".

The group are believed to have decided to make the change because they did not want to cause the charity any difficulties, despite there reportedly being no legal reason why they could not continue under the Rhythmix name.

Earlier today, the charity's chief executive Mark Davyd wrote an open letter to X Factor boss Simon Cowell asking him to change the name of the girl group.

"We don't believe that you are unaware of the way your own company is acting," Davyd said. "We are personally asking you to sort this problem out in the quickest and simplest way: Just change the name."

Davyd had initially said that it was "not appropriate" for the reality show to use the name and claimed that his first reply from the show was "basically, 'We don't care'".

The charity later backed a campaign to get Nirvana's 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' to number one at Christmas in protest against The X Factor.

[thestud2k7]

X Factor girlband Rhythmix have announced that they are to change their name.

The show had come under pressure from a children's music charity of the same name after it tried to trademark "Rhythmix" in Europe.

"At the request of the charity Rhythmix, the members of the girl group Rhythmix have decided to change their name, a decision which has the support of Syco and TalkbackTHAMES," an X Factor spokesperson said.

"The group's new name will be announced in due course".

The group are believed to have decided to make the change because they did not want to cause the charity any difficulties, despite there reportedly being no legal reason why they could not continue under the Rhythmix name.

Earlier today, the charity's chief executive Mark Davyd wrote an open letter to X Factor boss Simon Cowell asking him to change the name of the girl group.

"We don't believe that you are unaware of the way your own company is acting," Davyd said. "We are personally asking you to sort this problem out in the quickest and simplest way: Just change the name."

Davyd had initially said that it was "not appropriate" for the reality show to use the name and claimed that his first reply from the show was "basically, 'We don't care'".

The charity later backed a campaign to get Nirvana's 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' to number one at Christmas in protest against The X Factor.

Couldnt they picked an christmasy song than smells like teen spirit!!!!!!!!!

[lizann]

Michael Buble has a new album of Xmas songs out hope he gets to No. 1 with one of his covers he sounds so sexy no matter what he is singing

[Chloe O'brien]

I agree Lizann this is on my Santa list.

[lizann]

I agree Lizann this is on my Santa list.

Yes he is on my Santa List also

[megan999]

Rhythmix (the girl band) have been renamed Little Mix.

[Perdita]

Kelly Rowland will not appear on The X Factor this weekend, it has been announced.

The Destiny Child singer is currently in Los Angeles and will not be able to fly back to London because of a "throat infection".

"She is extremely ill with a viral throat infection and her doctors aren't permitting her to fly," her spokesperson told The Mirror. "Kelly is devastated she won't be here for this weekend's show."

Nicole Scherzinger has since been rumoured to step in as cover for the ill judge.

According to The Mirror's TV reporter Mark Jefferies, Rowland's absence from rehearsals for this weekend's show caused "chaos".

Last week, Rowland left for a trip to Los Angeles, sparking rumours that she had fallen out with fellow judges Tulisa Contostavlos and Louis Walsh.

Contostavlos and Walsh accused Rowland's act Misha B of bullying fellow contestants on last week's show. Rowland told Contostavlos to "leave things backstage".

The Destiny's Child star later denied reports that she left her X Factor acts because of a fall-out with her fellow judges, insisting that her LA trip had been planned "for a long time".


Maybe she has been shouting at Tulisa too much

[Perdita]

STRESSED Kelly Rowland has sensationally pulled out of The X Factor — telling The Sun: "I'm so sick, I've been in tears all week."
We can reveal the Destiny's Child babe told show boss Simon Cowell she would not appear just over 24 hours before she was due on air.

Bosses last night frantically lined up Pussycat Dolls star Nicole Scherzinger to replace her.

Kelly's withdrawal from this weekend's two ITV shows sparked fears she may quit FOR GOOD following an extraordinary on-screen bust-up last weekend.

The Sun revealed how the Texas-born star flew to Los Angeles on Monday after the row with rival judge Tulisa Contostavlos, who suggested her act Misha B had been harassing other singers.

Last night crocked Kelly rang us from her sickbed to explain why she'd left her wannabe acts without their much-needed mentor.

She said: "I'm so sick — I have no idea what is wrong with me, but I have the worst sore throat.


"I've been in tears all week. It got so bad that I stopped eating and drinking and got so dehydrated the doctor put me on a drip.

"Even now I can't swallow anything — not even my own saliva. The doctors don't even really know what's wrong, either. They say whatever I have is extremely rare."

Raising fears her condition was caused by stress, Kelly said she came down with the illness hours after last Sunday's tense X Factor.

The 30-year-old star said: "I was on the plane and I got this weird scratchy feeling in my throat. As the flight went on it got worse and worse. I was drinking orange juice and taking vitamins but, by the time I landed, I couldn't swallow.

"The doctor said that whatever I had was extremely rare. The infection is really low down in my throat. I've been on a drip, had injections of antibiotics and been drinking water non-stop. I even had a cortisone (steroid) shot."

Last night Kelly's personal doctor confirmed her condition is rare.

Beverly Hills-based Shawn S. Nasseri, American Idol's resident doc, said: "Kelly has a severe throat infection that's like glandular fever.

"It's extremely rare and I only see ten or so cases a year. She has had intravenous antibiotics and we've done scans. Hopefully she'll be better in two or three days, but she needs to rest up."

Meanwhile Kelly hit back at claims she had left her X Factor group, girls Misha B, Janet Devlin and Sophie Habibas, in the lurch.

NPG.com Show sources claimed she had gone AWOL and was refusing to say why she had to be in LA.
But Kelly said: "I had some very important personal meetings I'd had in the diary for a year.

"But I've been so sick I even had to postpone them. Since I got off the plane I've been laid out."

She insisted she had been in touch with her girls "every day", adding: "We chose the songs at the start of the week and I've been getting recordings sent to me of how they're doing. They are doing so well, they all need to step out of their comfort zone.

"I have been telling everyone in America how talented they are. I was so excited about Halloween week, but now I can't be there."

Kelly admitted she had not yet buried the hatchet with Tulisa or even spoken to her since the row.

The Sun revealed Kelly went ballistic with producers backstage after Tulisa criticised Misha B.
Last night Kelly said she was still angry over Tulisa's comments. She said: "I still disagree with Tulisa, but in the heat of the moment the passion gets to us and we are all extremely passionate about what we do as mentors.

"Misha will continue to shine and she will learn from this experience and use it to master herself as an artist as we all learn to do."
And Kelly hit back at claims she was interfering in other people's acts, saying she wanted to help ALL the X Factor wannabes.

She said: "Part of my reason for doing the show was to mentor growing stars, so I'm rooting for all the acts. Tulisa and the other judges are doing an amazing job. This is a contest and it's crunch time now."

Last night show insiders said backstage was "total chaos" after Kelly revealed her shock news.

One said: "People thought it was a wind-up when they first heard she wasn't coming. When it sank in, producers were running around screaming, trying to work out what to do."

Nicole, 33, was due to perform her new song on Sunday's show. With her poised to sign up as a judge, the insider added: "Kelly must really be knocked for six if a sore throat has done her in.
"This is a huge multi-million pound show and the judges are handsomely rewarded. You could argue she could have struggled through a few hours of live TV."

Kelly spoke to her acts on Skype and was yesterday hoping she'd be well enough to fly back in time for Sunday's results show. But bosses admitted that was "unlikely".

A spokeswoman for the singer said: "Kelly's devastated she won't be here for this weekend's show. Her doctors aren't permitting her to fly. Kelly will return to the show as soon as she's recovered. The girls wished her a speedy recovery."


The Sun