X Factor star defends Louis Walsh after Celebrity Big Brother backlash

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The X Factor's Jonathan Ansell has defended Louis Walsh after the Celebrity Big Brother star launched scathing attacks on stars.

Music group G4 have history with Walsh. Mentored by Walsh, the four-piece British group G4 reached the final and finished in second place in The X Factor in 2004. Twenty years on, The X Factor star has stayed loyal to his former mentor and gave him his support amid the controversy following Walsh's comments about celebrities including: Take That, Ronan Keating and Andrew Lloyd Webber.

During an appearance on Lorraine, the singer spoke out against the controversy saying that the TV judge was being "honest" and giving an insight into the music industry. "What's wrong with being honest?" He questioned on the daytime TV show.

What, how and why?

Ansell said: "Louis has been and is the most amazing person for us. I just really think he's being honest. What's wrong with being honest? He's showing a bit of opinion behind the scenes in the industry. I don't think he's doing anything as bad as anyone is making out."

The pop star said Walsh would be totally unaware of how much his comments had been "blowing up outside of the house". He said Walsh was a judge on The X Factor because of his honesty and that's why it's making great dialogue in the Celebrity Big Brother house.

He went on: "Do you know what, he's saying what people are thinking at home. I think it's developing a lot of controversy and he will not be aware of how big this is blowing up outside the house but he's an honest man. That's why he's been a judge on The X Factor for so many years back in the day. It's why it's developing such great interaction about Celebrity Big Brother house right now."

TV host Lorraine Kelly said Ansell hadn't aged a day since he had been on The X Factor in 2004. Poking fun at Walsh's comments about Mark Owen looking "very old", Ansell said he had "aged just as much" as everyone in Take That.

He jested: "Well, I've aged just as much as Jason Orange and Mark and everyone in Take That. We have all aged but 20 years on we are still here doing our music sharing it."

Ansell praised Walsh for "pushing boundaries" for G4 that has allowed them to be successful even 20 years on. He said: "Our brand new single is out tomorrow and new a 20th anniversary album and genuinely it's because Louis pushed the boundaries for us and enabled us to stand out from the crowd to develop the audience that's been with us all these years on. "

Kelly asked for Ansell and the group to join her on her show. He responded: "We would love to come and serenade you on the sofa Lorraine. We will fit it in amongst the tour. We've got lots and lots of dates. Hope you come and see us too!"

The TV host concluded the interview saying: "Someone who has something nice to say about Louis."

What has Louis Walsh said?

In Wednesday's Celebrity Big Brother, Walsh took aim at Take That. The X Factor judge had no qualms calling Mark Owen "very old" and claiming Jason Orange "didn't have to do much". Sharon Osbourne and Walsh had been discussing Orange's exit from the band in 2014.

Walsh said: "What happened to Jason. He just disappeared. And he was a nice guy... just gone. And he didn't have to do much, he just had to do a bit of dancing. That's all he had to do. He wasn't a singer as such, Gary (Barlow) and Mark (Owen) kind of held the vocals together."

Then he took aim at Owen saying: "Mark's got very old. Very old."

Earlier this week, Walsh called Ronan Keating a "p****" and Andrew Lloyd Webber a "freak" in fiery outbursts on Celebrity Big Brother. In addition, the TV judge called Jedward, who he used to manage, "vile" and told Colson Smith: "They were vile… I done five million quid with them, I swear on my mother’s life. They were vile, they were novelty, they were great for the show."

His comments sparked furore and Jedward responded in a series of explosive tweets on social media platform X. They claimed in one tweet: "Louis Walsh is a cold hearted b****** who didn’t even send us flowers when our mom died."

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