X Factor's Louis Walsh falls off stage during auditions - and leaves Simon Cowell fuming
The Irishman, 62, plunged from a platform while filming a segment for the opening credits - but Simon was gutted that the fall wasn't caught on camera
X Factor staff rushed to help Louis Walsh on Saturday after he plunged off the stage during auditions, writes Janine Yaqoob in the Sunday People.
The show judge was filming a segment for the opening credits when he tumbled off the platform to the floor a few feet below.
Simon Cowell, Cheryl Fernandez-Versini and Mel B looked shocked as production staff rallied to check if Louis was OK after losing his balance.
But their initial concerns quickly turned to laughter when they realised the 62-year-old Irishman had escaped unhurt.
An X Factor source said: “All four judges were filming the sequence for the start of each show in front of the green screen.
“The girls were looking very glamorous and ready for action, as was Simon.
“Then Louis suddenly fell off the stage. They were worried about him at first, of course, although Simon was gutted they didn’t manage to get the incident on camera when they realised he was fine!”
Simon, Cheryl and Mel soon turned their attention back to filming but former Westlife manager Louis took an age to dust himself down and return to work.
The source said: “There was an element of frustration. While Simon, Cheryl and Mel were all taking the filming seriously, Louis was joking around having a laugh.
“It took them longer than anticipated to film the sequence – almost an hour – because of all the interruptions.”
Meanwhile contestants who made it through to the latest stage yesterday found out which judge would be their mentor.
Cheryl got the girls, much to her delight, while Mel B, in her first year as a UK X Factor judge, got the boys’ category.
Louis took charge of the groups and Simon will be mentoring the over-25s.
A source close to Simon said: “He’s really chuffed with the overs. There’s a lot of talent in his group and he reckons he’s got a good chance of winning.”
The boys and the over-25s were the first to take on the six-chair challenge on Saturday, which sees the judges reward contestants with a seat and a place at a judge’s house if they impress with their performance.
No act is safe because another could replace them. The challenge was branded cruel by viewers last year but Simon has championed the change to the format, claiming it is “exciting, dramatic and controversial”.
Before the competition began, all eyes were on Cheryl and Louis, who were embroiled in an ongoing feud. Speaking on her return after a four-year break, Cheryl said things were “a little bit frosty” between them.
But on Saturday they appeared to have put their differences behind them, even cosying up for a photo. Posting a snap of her and Louis on her Instagram page from yesterday’s boot camp, Cheryl wrote: “Louis has that Irish aura #Greenvibes”
http://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/x-factors-louis-walsh-falls-4030617#ixzz39zAg54cu
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