I wasn't pushed from 'X Factor', says Louis
Saturday March 10 2007
And there is no question of a row with either of his fellow judges, Simon Cowell and Sharon Osbourne. It's one big happy family.
"I want to go back to being a manager, that's what I am. I think I'm a better manager than a television personality," Louis said from his Dublin home yesterday.
"I wasn't axed. They wanted to bring in some new judges and Simon called me and asked me to step aside for a year but I've had enough.
"I liked doing the auditions but I hated the live show, it was a lot of pressure for me and I was at that airport in Dublin every day and I didn't want it anymore."
He added that time would be scarce if his plans to get Boyzone back on stage won out.
"If I get Boyzone back together then I wouldn't be able to do the live show because it takes over your life for a couple of months and I also have Shayne Ward and Westlife."
'The X Factor' presenter Kate Thornton has been let go and Louis said he heard she was devastated. But he was bearing up better at the end of his own stint on the ITV song contest.
"I'm relieved, to tell you the truth," he said. "It was absolutely brilliant, every bit of it but the pressure is on when you do it. I've met two brilliant people from it and that's Shayne Ward and Sharon.
"I'm best friends with Sharon, she's a really good woman. And also with Simon because Westlife and Shayne are signed to his company."
The Mayo man will appear on 'Tubridy Tonight' to go over his departure.
- Jason O'Brien
