Louis Walsh called Ronan Keating a 'George Michael wannabe who must be stopped'
Louis Walsh has certainly been keeping viewers entertained on Celebrity Big Brother not least because he isn’t afraid to say what he thinks. This week viewers watched as the housemates were treated to a VIP pop party but when Ronan Keating ’s Life Is A Rollercoaster hit belted out, 71-year-old Louis revealed he didn’t think much of his former boyband member.
In the early 90s, Louis Walsh put an ad in a newspaper looking to recruit members to form an Irish version of Take That. Out of 300 applications only five boys made the cut: Ronan Keating, now 47, Mikey Graham, 51, Keith Duffy, 49 and Shane Lynch, 47. The band also included late singer Stephen Gately, who died in 2009 at the age of 33. They were a huge success and shot to fame worldwide with six number one singles and four number one albums.
After the boyband members parted ways in 1999, Ronan went on to enjoy success as a solo artist - with Louis continuing to work with him on hits like When You Say Nothing At All and Life is a Rollercoaster. While they allegedly parted ways on good terms, it was just the start of a feud that still rumbles on to this day.
Ronan Keating on Loose Men (Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)As Ronan’s song played in the Celebrity Big Brother House on Tuesday, Louis commented: “Great song.” before adding:: “He was such a p***k.” Speaking to 71-year-old Sharon Osbourne, he went on: “Everybody thinks he’s a lovely guy, do you know what I mean? He hasn’t had a hit record since I left. He sacked me.”
And it’s not the first time Louis has made a swipe at Ronan. In an interview with Q Magazine in 2012, he called him 'talentless and spoiled' and said the fame had gone to Ronan's head. "His head got turned by having nice hotels and chauffeur-driven cars, and he thought he could write songs,” Louis said. "If you're Ronan Keating, who was working in a shoe shop when I discovered him, but end of thinking you're George Michael, then you need to be stopped."
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Then in August 2013 around the time of Boyzone's 20th anniversary. Louis told The Times Ronan was a "little manufactured popstar who actually believed his own publicity". He added: "Ronan thought he was George Michael... He said he didn't want to be a karaoke artist. Well that's what he is."
During an interview with Magic FM’s Magic in the Morning Breakfast Show, Ronan hit back at Louis’ comments saying: "He was very important to me as a mentor and I'm grateful for the opportunities he gave me, because I wouldn't be here without them.
Louis Walsh with guest judge Ronan Keating on X Factor in 2009 (Ken McKay/Talkback Thames/REX/Shutterstock)"But there’s only so much you can give back and be so grateful, and for that not to be appreciated or respected," he continued. "Really he should just move on and be happy and grateful for what he's achieved – he's had a great career. It's no life to be bitter and talk negatively about people – it festers in your soul."
And it would seem Ronan isn't the only Boyzone member to have beef with Louis. In 2018, Ronan and Shane Lynch appeared on the Dan Wootton Interview podcast, where they explained they no longer had a relationship with Louis. "One day Louis is your best friend and the next he doesn't know you. You never know what version of Louis you're going to get.”
Celebrity Big Brother is on ITV tonight at 9pm.
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