Simon Cowell and Louis Walshs Bitter Feud Exposed

They're one of TV's most entertaining double acts with a relationship that has swung between friendship and feuds over the years.

Now  and  are said to be embroiled in yet another row - with Irish judge Louis, 73, branding Simon, 66, a 'has-been' in a withering putdown. 

In the latest development, it has been claimed that the reason behind their latest fallout stems from Simon's hit documentary Simon Cowell: The Next Act, which was released at the end of last year.

It follows Simon in the making of new boy band, December 10, which hopes will be the next One Direction.

Sources close to the pair have told the publication that Louis was reportedly 'left furious' after being snubbed from the Netflix show in favour of old Pop Idol co-judge Pete Waterman.

A source claimed: 'In his mind, he has the most experience and expertise out of everyone Simon was working for.'

They added to The Sun: 'He knows slagging off BGT will annoy Simon because he's already worried about the fall in ratings. 

'His criticism will have been a kick in the teeth.'

The Daily Mail has contacted Louis and Simon's representatives for comment. 

Simon and Louis first crossed paths long before primetime TV, before becoming household names as feuding judges on The .

Yet when they started bickering over song choices and making blunt digs about contestants, their clashes quickly became must-watch moments.

At times, they seemed inseparable, with Louis once saying Simon had 'changed my life,' even as the tension simmered beneath the surface.

Now, that friendship appears to be well and truly over, with Louis admitting they haven't spoken in years.

In a scathing rant this week, Louis claimed that Simon's show Britain's Got Talent is finished and that the star is no longer in his 'prime'.

Speaking ahead of Friday night's Britain's Got Talent series opener on ITV, Louis, who appeared as a guest panellist on the show in 2010, told The Sun: 'BGT, who cares?! It's not what it was.

'Back in the old days, it was pulling in 12 million, and the whole country cared who won.

He added: 'Now it doesn't feel like that, who even won last year?'

Elsewhere in the interview, Louis claimed that Simon's fiancée, Lauren Silverman, 48, controls his phone and diary, adding that he hasn't heard from him in years.

He also described Simon as 'incredible in his prime' but suggested he no longer has the same instinct and is 'surrounded by people who won't tell him the truth'.

According to The Sun, Louis allegedly went even further in text messages, reportedly saying Simon is 'done now' and 'surrounded by fakes'.

Louis, who previously managed boy bands including Boyzone and Westlife, also took aim at Simon's new boyband, December 10, formed on his series Simon Cowell: The Next Act.

He joked they should have been called 'April 1st' instead, before insisting he genuinely hopes things work out 'for the boys' sake'.

However, this is not the first time Louis has publicly criticised his former co-star.

In 2024, Louis and Sharon launched a shock tirade against Simon while appearing on Celebrity Big Brother, with Sharon insisting she would never work for him again, 'not for all the money in the world'.

The star revealed the X Factor head judge prevented her from landing a huge job on The Masked Singer in the US due to contractual obligations involving X Factor.

As Louis nodded along in agreement, he revealed he hadn't spoken to Simon since the X Factor days, as he added: 'I haven't talked to him at all, nothing. Zero'.

While speaking to The Sun moments before he entered the CBB house, Louis threw shade at Simon's 'stupid clothes and new faces'.

He said: 'I love him. I think the world of him, I really do. I know his faults. I know he's not perfect. He wears stupid clothes, stupid haircut, new faces... his face has changed so much.

'I've always had a fantastic time with him. I wouldn't be here but for him. But I'll gossip as much as I can about him, as often as I can... as safely as I can.

'But we're going to be on mic, so we can't talk that much about everything we know!'

Yet Simon took his remarks on the chin as when asked about Sharon and Louis' involvement on the show, he simply said: 'I think they could both win.'

Simon told The Mirror: 'I still consider Sharon and Louis really good friends, we could pick up the phone to each other tomorrow.'

He then insisted he had no intention of hitting back at the comments, explaining their friendship was often made of long silences. 

He explained: 'Whenever I meet them, see them, speak to them, it's like we've spoken yesterday. 

'My honest opinion is I think we miss each other.'

Louis was sensationally sacked from the X Factor in 2007 after being a judge since it began.

For the fourth series, US dancer and choreographer Brian Friedman was drafted in to replace him on the judging panel. 

But it was just a matter of weeks later that Brian left for a Creative Director role, with Louis brought back to the panel. 

Previously speaking about the shake-up, he told The Mirror: 'My proudest moment on the show was getting the job in the first place... closely followed by Simon having to bring me back after sacking me.

'It's funny, when he got rid of me, I had a contract in place already, so I knew I was going to get paid, but then Sharon tipped me off that things weren't working, and that they were going to bring me back.'

He continued: 'There was no crawling back from Simon, or anything like that... he just wanted what was best for the show, and that's why he brought me back.'

In 2015, Louis left the show again after citing feelings of humiliation, stress, and being 'undermined' by Simon.

According to the Irish star, Simon called him an 'idiot and bland'.

Louis then returned to the show the following year and stayed up until 2018.

In 2019, Louis claimed that Simon had paid him 'a lot' of money to walk away from The X Factor.

Denying there had been a heated row behind the scenes, Louis told The Mirror: 'I wasn't kicked off.

'In fact, I was paid off if you really want to know the truth.'

Speaking ahead of  their reunion on The X Factor: Celebrity, Louis added: 'I think he doesn't like the fact I've had less plastic surgery than him, and me being on the panel is a constant reminder.'