The 62-year-old music manager is the longest serving judge on the ITV reality show but a cryptic tweet from boss Simon, 55, earlier this month sent the rumour mill into overdrive.
Following reports Louis was out, Si tweeted: “Louis Walsh is one of the good guys. We will always be friends. The door remains open and who knows what’s next…”
But Louis has claimed that wasn’t Simon’s way of handing him his P45. He told heat magazine: “Listen, I’ve spoken to [him] – he was on the phone to me for half an hour at 2am and we talk all of the time. He wants me on the show.”
While Louis is hanging on to his chair, there is one judge he wouldn’t mind seeing the back of.
“Cheryl [Fernandez-Versini] wasn’t great last year,” he swiped. “She’s sometimes lazy and lacks energy.”
Louis – who is responsible for bands including Westlife and Girls Aloud – added that he thinks that Cheryl, 31, is past it!
He continued: “She needs to give more, she can give so much more. She’s irrelevant these days.”
And, while he thinks Cheryl should pack it in, Louis would love Spice Girl Mel B to make a return.
“Personally, I’d rather have Mel B on the panel, I love her – but that’s not going to happen.”
Whoever Simon picks to judge the talent, let’s hope Louis and Cheryl are kept well away from each other after those comments…