Talking to Louis, it already feels like another era when Cheryl Cole and Dannii Minogue were trying to out-dress each other each week.

After Cheryl was announced as a judge on the U.S. show, and Dannii left, Louis had been holding out hope for the spectacular return of Sharon Osbourne.

‘I would have loved Sharon back, I thought Dannii would be back, too. If I’d gone, too, I would have missed it, because I always get so involved.

‘Sometimes I give my acts more than they give the show and I have sleepless nights because I so want them to do well. I’m usually given the worst category to mentor as well.

‘I felt bad when I heard Dannii wasn’t coming back. I really got to know her in the past two years.

‘We had a difficult time at first, but that was because I was very much in Sharon’s camp.

‘I’m loyal and Sharon is a good friend. She says what she thinks. She and Dannii had their differences, but I think both would have been great this year.’

Louis had his own falling out on screen last year with Cheryl Cole, when he voted for Katie Waissel to stay over Cheryl’s artist Aiden Grimshaw.

‘I have an opinion. It’s not all about you, Cheryl,’ he shouted and was later quoted as saying: ‘I’m fed up of listening to her. It’s not her show.’

But whatever their past differences, they seem on friendly terms now, and he says: ‘When Cheryl came on the first year everybody fell in love with her. She lit up the room.’

So, did he get on with her? ‘Absolutely. I got to know the real Cheryl.

‘I thought it would work for her in America. It wasn’t anyone’s fault it didn’t. It’s a different planet and she’s not as tough as people think. She’s tough on the outside, but sensitive on the inside.

‘She didn’t take up the offer to come back to the UK panel because she probably didn’t want to go backwards.

‘I know she wants to do music, she wants to dance. I’m sure she wants to settle her life down, she’s been working hard for the past ten years.’

Though he hasn’t spoken to Cheryl since she returned, they text each other.

‘On the first day of auditions for The X Factor, I text her, saying: “They’re going to ask me what am I looking for in the contestants this year.”

She replied: “Tell them you’re looking for a new Cheryl Cole.” We had a good laugh about that.’

I won’t link back to the disgrace of a website for the source, they even made the headline negative out of something positive Louis said! I’m glad Louis and Cheryl could still have a laugh about it, but I honestly don’t understand why the paper has to be so petty and hateful and are still selling papers, some f**ked up people.