Walsh is ‘X Factor’s’ Fr Jack, says host O’Leary

X Factor presenter Dermot O’Leary has compared Louis Walsh to Father Ted’s Jack Hackett — for his habit of making outrageous statements about his co-stars.

Louis Walsh mischievously branded fellow X Factor judge Tulisa Contostavlos a “chav in a tracksuit” this week, although he has since clarified that the remarks were intended to be light- hearted.

But O’Leary yesterday said there is no malice in the Mayo’s judge’s cheeky jibes at the other judges.

After comparing Walsh to the volatile Father Ted character, the Essex-born presenter who identifies himself as Irish said he really enjoys working with him.

“It’s always difficult with Louis,” he said, laughing on ITV’s Daybreak.

“Everything is good-natured with Louis. He just doesn’t care. That’s the thing about him.

“He’s like the old uncle in a dinner party that is sat in the corner, like Fr Jack, who wakes up and says something probably libellous. We love him dearly.”

O’Leary said he is delighted Louis is returning for his ninth season on the X FActor.

“For me, as a host, you need someone like Louis there. Gary [Barlow] for the most part, 99% of the time, speaks the truth and is incredibly honest.

“With the girls, once again they know what they are talking about, so Louis is the only one I can truly be up on all the time. He’s brilliant.”

Meanwhile, Walsh told yesterday how he has developed a close friendship with the new judge, Nicole Scherzinger.

He said he was still recovering yesterday from a night out with the US beauty after the X Factor launch on Thursday.

Walsh said: “I went out with Nicole. We had great fun. We went to a really nice restaurant. We drank a lot. I love her. Anybody would love her.”

And the Irish judge said he still loves his role on the show and is having second thoughts about giving up on his tenth year next year.

“If I do 10 years I would be more than happy.

“I am doing it nine years but it is always exciting. It’s the best job on TV. It really is.”

However, he said he still misses Simon Cowell, who has been absent from the line-up for the past two years since launching the juggernaut show in the US.

“He’s fun. If Simon is in the room it’s great fun. It’s not the same without him.

He said of this year’s series: “The talent is amazing this year. We have a lot of singer-songwriters with their guitar.

“We have a lot of original artists coming.”