Louis Walsh
| Louis Walsh | |
|---|---|
Walsh in 2009
|
|
| Born |
Michael Louis Vincent Walsh 5 August 1952 Kiltimagh, Mayo, Ireland |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Occupation |
Entertainment manager, Television personality, Talent show judge |
| Years active | 1967–present |
| Employer | Syco / ITV |
| Known for | |
| Television |
Irish Popstars Popstars: The Rivals You're a Star The X Factor Ireland's Got Talent |
Michael Louis Vincent Walsh (born 5 August 1952) known as Louis Walsh is an Irish entertainment manager and judge on British television talent show The X Factor.
Originally from Kiltimagh, County Mayo, Walsh moved to Dublin to get a start in the music industry. He managed Johnny Logan, Boyzone and Westlife, three of Ireland's most successful pop artists in the 1990s and 2000s. In later life, Walsh began an alternative career as a television talent pundit and personality.
He has been a judge on The X Factor since the show's inception in 2004 (with the exception of 2015, when he left the show only to return in 2016). He has mentored the "Groups" category six times and the "Overs" category three times. He was the winning judge of the show's second series, mentoring Shayne Ward. He has also appeared on You're a Star, Popstars and Popstars: The Rivals. Walsh has also guest judged on Britain's Got Talent a number of times and on The X Factor USA in 2012.
In the 1990s, Walsh decided to create an Irish version of Take That, which the papers picked up on when Walsh advertised the open auditions. The band created was Boyzone, whom Walsh managed to international success achieving 16 top three singles, six of which were number ones, as well as four number one albums, selling more than 20 million copies worldwide. When Ronan Keating announced he wanted to take a break from Boyzone, Walsh continued to manage his career. Keating achieved a number one hit with "Life Is a Rollercoaster" in 2000 while his album sold 4.4 million copies. Keating and Walsh later agreed to part company as Keating's solo career reached an all-time high. Walsh then went back to the boy band formula to create Westlife, which Keating co-managed with Walsh for the first couple of Westlife's number one singles and albums.
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