Is The X Factor judge Louis Walsh on Santa’s naughty or nice list?
You have to hand it to Louis Walsh. He’s pretty much up for anything. Five years ago he gamely morphed into Cheryl for one of our best Christmas Stars Dress Up shoots to date, and now he’s agreed to be a rosy-cheeked elf.
See? Just LOL.
The 64-year-old is looking in fine fettle, younger and fitter than he did when we first clapped eyes on him as an X Factor judge back in 2004 in the very first series.
He claims the secret of his youthful glow is simply that he’s happier: "I’ve done nothing!", he tells us firmly.
He also puts it down to eating less fast food, having fewer late-night meals and not doing drugs. Good to know.
And as always, Louis is more than happy to be asked anything we can think of – from what he really thought about last year’s X Factor (clue: not good) and what Simon Cowell’s like as a father (good), to his verdict on President Elect, Donald Trump (not good at all).
But this openness is nothing new.
In our experience of talking to Lou Lou over the years, he’s one of the most reliably bullshit-free, thoroughly honest and happy-to-gossip celebrities of them all.
And as we settle down for our chat, he’s possibly on even bolder form than ever before, and even explains what he’s getting Simon for Christmas.
"Well he has everything of course so I’d probably buy him a really good book or a box set he hasn’t seen. He’d appreciate that more than anything else," Louis admits.
"Oh and he likes mirrors. He loves looking at himself so I’d buy him one of those mirrors that makes you look better. They’re kind of a cheat."
And what has Louis got in store for his fellow X Factor judges, Nicole Scherzinger and Sharon Osborne?
"I’ll probably get them diaries for next year because hopefully we’ll all be back doing The X Factor again..." he confesses.
FOR REALS, LOUIS? Please don’t play with our emotions.
Louis returned to the show after a bit of time off – but is there any bad blood between himself and Simon?
"This has been the most fun I’ve ever had on the show. I love the judging panel, I’ve had a great category and Simon’s been much more fun. And I love Sharon and Nicole. It was the dream team. Yes, we’ve lost a few viewers but we’ll get them back."
That’s the spirit, Louis!
Grab this week’s heat magazine to find out what else he had to say – including what kind of a father Simon is, what’s really going on between him and Cheryl, and what Nicole has been keeping very, very secret …
PLUS! Listen to our Christmas podcast to find out who Louis would want to attend his ideal Christmas dinner – and who better not be holding their breath for an invite …