After reading the title of this post, you may be surprised to hear that Louis Walsh claims that he and Simon Cowell are best friends behind the scenes of X Factor.

In a very honest interview with the Daily Mail Walsh said: “Simon and I have a lot of fun on the show. I miss that when I don’t see him, because when he walks in the room he and I start laughing, usually at each other, which is a good thing.

“We’re best friends backstage, but when we are in front of the cameras it’s like he’s a different person. When we’re out there, it’s every man for himself. He likes to keep it real, and that’s the best thing about the show.”

He added: “I’m not as vain as him. He’s a vain man, but he’s a funny man. I don’t take it personally; not now. The first or second time I did, but I’ve got used to it now. He has a really nice side that people don’t see.

“I’ve never heard him curse. I’ve never heard him be rude to anybody he works with. He’s always nice to people in hotels, in restaurants, drivers. He’s good to his mother, and he loves animals. What more can I say, except that he’s a very arrogant, pompous ******.”