Louis Walsh Is Going Deaf

29 February 2016

Louis Walsh is going deaf.

Louis Walsh

The former 'X Factor' judge, who was known for managing successful boy bands Westlife and Boyzone, has admitted working in the music industry since he was 15 years old has started to destroy his hearing and he's been warned he may need to have a hearing aid fitted in the near future.

He explained: "I first noticed that I was having trouble during the live 'X Factor' auditions in the arenas. There was somebody singing, four panellists and a big crowd of 2,000 people shouting behind us."

The 63-year-old music manager realised there was something wrong two years ago when he couldn't hear what his former fellow panellists - Simon Cowell, Mel B and Cheryl Fernandez-Versini - were saying beside him.

He told the Daily Mail newspaper: "I was sometimes struggling to hear the acts and once or twice I couldn't hear what Simon and Cheryl were saying to me.

"I could always hear Mel though! She's loud. I was trying to look at them because when I could see their faces I was able to lip read. When I asked, 'What are you saying?' they started making jokes about my age and asking, "Are you going deaf?" I just laughed them off.

"I've worked in the music industry since I was 15. My hearing is obviously crucial in my career, so I was a little nervous that it wasn't what it used to be."

However, Louis - who was booted off 'The X Factor' last year and replaced by BBC Radio 1 DJ Nick Grimshaw -may need to have a hearing aid sooner than he thought as it's believed he's been offered a mega deal to return as a judge when the new series hits screens later this year.