Simon had axed Louis and replaced him with choreographer Brian Friedman but he had to swallow his pride and ask the pop Svengali to come back. Louis revealed: "[Sharon] was telling me that there was just no chemistry between Brian and the rest of them. You know how we tease each other? There was none of that apparently."

Good move Simon; there's no X in X Factor without the outspoken Irishman and he looks very pleased to be back.