ROBBIE Williams has blasted Louis Walsh as “two-faced and incredibly feeble” after the X Factor judge made disparaging remarks about his wife Ayda Field’s role on the talent show.
The Irish music manager, 67, suggested actress Ayda’s place on the judging panel last year was responsible for the series flopping, telling The Sun: “I thought HE [Robbie] was a brilliant booking, but then he went and brought his wife on the show.
“You don’t bring your wife to work.”
Now the couple has hit back in a new interview with the Mail On Sunday, with Ayda, 40, saying: “What was gutting about that was Louis had been incredibly flattering and gushing to me in private.
“It was sexist too. I mean ‘bring your wife to work’ how dare you? Every part of me wanted to shout back b****y and rude thing.’
Louis made his comments at the launch for Celebrity X Factor, which Megan McKenna went on to win.
It was the first time that Louis had been seen as a judge since 2017, when he replaced Nick Grimshaw following a 2016 break.
Last year, he stepped down from the line-up again and Simon Cowell enlisted Louis Tomlinson, Robbie and Ayda to fill the roles – something that Louis believes was the wrong decision.
“He [Robbie] is a brilliant character and judge and with Simon it should have been amazing,” said Louis.
“It should have been the best panel ever but it just didn’t work.
“There was no X Factor.”
Further slamming Ayda, he added: “Nicole [Scherzinger] or Sharon [Osbourne] would have been better.”
Louis was left stunned himself last month after being axed as an X Factor judge for the third time, just days before filming for the new series began.
Simon Cowell and Nicole Scherzinger were the only judges on latest show X Factor: The Band.
Show sources said Louis was offered a backstage role advising Simon and Nicole. But he turned it down fearing he would be at a loose end on the series.
A source said: “Louis had a fantastic time on X Factor: Celebrity and was confident he would be back for The Band.
“He obviously has a lot of experience working with bands such as Westlife.
“But Simon had other ideas. He felt it would make more sense to have him mentoring the boys and Nicole looking after the girls. Louis was offered a role as an adviser.
“But it soon became clear there was no real job, so he turned the offer down.”
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