Straight from Louis' mouth;

http://www.digitalspy.com/tv/the-x-factor/news/a790863/louis-walsh-gives-his-verdict-on-last-years-x-factor-grimmy-didnt-work-out-lets-be-honest/

He gives it as his opinion but he's clearly somebody that will be in the know. Confirms Simon met Louis and Sharon in LA and confirms Sharon is interesting in returning.

Says it will bring the fun back and Simon can't control Sharon so nobody knows what will come out of her mouth at the lives.

man who was dumped thinks his successor was a failure and wants his old job back

thats a shock ...

I hope it's Rita Louis Sharon and Simon

I didn't mind Rita, but would prefer Nicole - but I heard she wasn't that great on the USA show so i wonder if that was to do with Simon maybe - i'd only want her back if she was on top form.

I think the panel should go back to Simon Sharon and Louis.

Louis was on The Late Late Show here in Ireland last night and he said Cheryl was fired from the show, rather than her choosing to go! I'd love to see Sharon back, she was great in 2013 and her and Louis have good chemistry.

Haha! I doubt Cheryl was fired but I wouldn't be surprised if she'd had a 'polite nudge'

Would LOVE Sharon back with Louis and Simon the 4th judge would just be a spare part... Unless Dannii made an epic return too!

With Louis AND Sharon I would be out. They both are part of the past. Why Simon didn't see this fact?

Simon, Louis and Sharon would be great. Cheryl doesn't really bring anything to the show anymore. Back in 2008-2010 maybe, but not now.

I always thought Nicole was a great judge, so would love her to do it. I love Rita, but she brought nothing to the show last year, in my opinion.

If we could have Simon, Louis, Sharon and Nicole, I think it would be the best judging panel they've ever had personally.

I just hope they can fix the show. It was the must watch TV event every year up until 2010. It's sad to see how much it's declined. BGT is the much better show these days and part of the reason is because they have a strong and consistent panel of judges, which is what The X Factor needs. Really hope Sharon does it, as she's fabulous.

Cheryl couldn't bring anything new to the Show but Louis and Sharon can do this? This make no sense to me,

For me the relationship between Louis andSharon didn't work so well in season 10 then in older days. I can't see an improvement when Simon is there too.

I like Nicole but I think her relation with Gary was very good. On the us Version with Simon it wasn't the same.

I watched it, Louis wasn't the one to say she was fired the presenter did.

It was really bizarre. Nicole on the US show was a completely different person. When she came to the UK show she'd had a personality transplant (for the better).

It was funny cause I was so shocked the UK show would actually take her, and the 'source' was quoted at the time they hired her of saying "We had no choice, there was literally nobody else". But it turned out great in the end.

I loved rita

Nicole was brilliant alongside Simon and Louis when she filled in for Cheryl and Dannii in 2010, so I can't see Simon being the issue. I remember at the time people saying Cheryl and Dannii shouldn't bother returning. It was ultimately that stint that got her the job in the US but that turned out to be a different beast, and her 'crazy' role was already being filled by Paula. I'm assuming Nicole would sit in Cheryl's seat, so she'd be able to bounce off Sharon a lot more too.

Simon, Sharon and Louis I definitely see coming back.

Rita I think will go back to The Voice on ITV due to the lighter schedule and apparently she's filming a movie late this year.

Nicole I'm unsure whether she would like to return or if Simon wants her back. I could see Simon wanting Demi Lovato instead to have a judge to appeal to the younger viewers, and they had good chemistry on the US show unlike Simon & Nicole.

Or perhaps Simon will bring in Paula Abdul? She isn't the most famous person in Britain, certainly not as big here as she is/was in the US but I could see Simon wanting her if he's wanting a panel of great chemistry instead of "big" names?

Anyway it is interesting to see what the panel really is this year, my guess is that Louis and Sharon will be on the panel and announced together in April and the fourth judge will be whoever is the big rumour is around May time and then announced in June, I have a feeling it won't be Rita or Nicole but someone who isn't hugely rumoured at this time. Someone like Demi Lovato but that's just what I think.

having paula abdul and sharon on the same panel would certainly lead to a type of chemistry

Hopefully the judges will be Simon Cowell, Rita Ora, Nicole Scherzinger and Gary Barlow. Cannot stand Louis Walsh and Sharon Osbourne! Others I don't mind being on the panel are Tulisa Constovalos, Kelly Rowland, Pixie Lott or Alexandra Burke. If not Gary Barlow, then either Ronan Keating, Peter Andre, Duncan James or Conor Maynard.

Gary won't be doing it, Simon doesn't like him apparently plus he has announced he is doing his own music show with the BBC, which Simon has commented on for his lack of loyalty.

As for your other male judge suggestions, dear god if any of them were involved it really would sound the death knell for the X Factor.

On the American show she didn't sit next to Simon though, she was inbetween Paula and LA Reid

Louis has Sharon, they've always had their thing at their side of the table. Simon wont want to look like a spare part, so he'll have someone next to him who he has chemistry with. I'm not sure that will be Nicole, or even Rita - though it could be. The person who said Demi could be onto something, I fully expect it to be someone he's worked well with previously.

Realistic possibilities
- Rita Ora
- Nicole Scherzinger
- Demi Lovato
- Paula Abdul

Although he had good chemistry with Dannii, her and Sharon on a panel is just not going to happen.

My choice would be Nicole, I think the audience loved her and she was only ousted to accommodate Cheryl's terms.

Demi is doing a huge word tour this year with Nick Jonas so I'd rule her out for this year as it spreads through all summer when the auditions take place. She would be a great grab though for the UK show! Huge chemistry with Simon...the US version of Cheryl on the panel.

The season Sharon back, the panel was far better than the year before it and the year after it. It was one of the better panels since Louis/Dannii/Cheryl/Simon.

Sharon linked really well with all three judges. It revitalised Louis somewhat.

I think it'll be Louis/Sharon/Nicole/Simon.

Simon, Sharon, Louis and Nicole would be an absolute blast.

I don't care what anybody says - Simon, Louis and Sharon were the absolute dream team.

Louis and Sharon lets go back in time and party like its 2006.

I assume they going for the comedy factor if these two are back

I quite like the Demi or Paula idea - wan't paula a guest jusge when Simon Louis and Sharon were on the panel?
I did actually think of Paula when watching Idol the other day and thought chemistry wise she'd be a good grab. Her or Demi would do