X Factor: Louis Walsh To Axe Tulisa For Cheryl Cole?

10:57, Monday, 31 October 2011

Louis Walsh is allegedly considering axing Tulisa Contostavlos from The X Factor panel and replacing her with former judge, Cheryl Cole.

According to The Mirror, boss Simon Cowell has given Walsh permission to refresh the panel, giving the Irish music mogul the task of sorting out the talent show's ratings after it was beaten by BBC1's Strictly Come Dancing.

SiCo has apparently given Louis 48 hours to decide if Tulisa, Gary Barlow or Kelly Rowland should be sacked in favour of Chezza.

A source told the newspaper: "Simon will do anything to turn the show around. It's no coincidence that as soon as the new team came in the viewers fell off. He thinks the only way to save he show is to get rid of some of the panel."

They continued: "Louis and Simon are best friends. Louis is his eyes and ears in the show, Simon's man on the ground, so he is the best-placed person to decide who gets the chop."

Cowell has apparently told Walsh not to worry about the potential fallout of bringing back the Girls Aloud beauty, and has told the 59-year old he would "rather scrap the whole show" then get rid ! of him.< /p>

The insider explained: "Louis is a businessman. If he thinks Cheryl will get the ratings back up he'll tell Simon to give Tulisa the chop, no matter how good friends they are."

They added: "Cheryl was loved by the public in a way no other judge ever has been, before or since. Her comeback would guarantee a massive ratings boost."

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