Music producer Louis Walsh has dismissed Irish TV channels as “local telly” as he returns to the British media for another stint as a judge on talent show the X Factor.
The Mayo native has appeared on Ireland’s Got Talent for the past two series, but with the show being cancelled, he is now returning to the UK.
Walsh explained the realistic stance he has taken regarding the financial rewards available on either side of the Irish Sea.
He was rumoured to have been paid €300,000 for his role as a judge on Ireland’s Got Talent but will receive an estimated €1,000,000 for just one series on the British TV show X Factor.
Walsh said: “We had great fun doing it, but I would never depend on them, ever, for anything. Why would I do local telly when I can do X Factor?”
He is not the only Ireland’s Got Talent star who is heading over the Britain for their next job, as fellow judge Michelle Visage will be one of the new judges in the X Factor’s rival show Strictly Come Dancing.
Walsh continued: “Michelle will be great for Strictly, nobody will work harder – she’s great.
“I think she is going to do really well. People are going to like her, people are going to get to know her.
“Listen I’m going to be on X Factor, she’s going to be on Strictly – it’s perfect, it’s a perfect solution.”
The man behind Irish boybands Boyzone and Westlife revealed that all the judges on Ireland’s Got Talent always had the next job in their minds.
“We were never dependent on waiting on TV3 for that show. We had already taken these jobs. We were offered these jobs and we took them.
“We were never waiting on TV3. I will never be dependent on Irish TV for anything in my life.
“I’ve got too much work over here in the UK. I’ve been offered every single show at the moment, literally every show every day.”
