SAY what you like about Louis Walsh, he says what he likes.

A man who refuses to pander to celebrity norms, his brutal — but hilarious — put-downs on Celebrity Big Brother saw him dubbed the “most toxic man on television”.

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Louis Walsh is brutal but hilariousCredit: Rex

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Louis has admitted he wants to reassess his public behaviourCredit: Louis Wood
In reality, he is anything but.

The star, now 71, does admit, though, that his recent health scare — a battle with blood cancer — combined with a gruelling three-week stint on the show has made him reassess his public behaviour.

He said: “Cancer is a great reality check. This whole experience is going to change me. I’m going to try and be a better person.

“I am going to try and be nicer. I am a bit catty. I always let people know what I think of them, that’s just me.

“You know what really annoys me, though? All this kissing and hugging [on the show]. You don’t even know each other! So fake! They all wanted to win.

“That was the bottom line on the show. There was nothing controversial that happened really because everyone was too wary, too woke, everyone is too careful what they say and it all becomes bland and boring.

“I didn’t want to be like that. I was just sitting there like an observer and telling people what I thought of what was happening in there.

“I was only telling the truth. I wasn’t trying to be catty, I was just reporting what I saw. I was brought up to say it like it is. Some of the housemates were just boring and bland and playing to the cameras.”

Ouch. He just can’t help himself, bless ’im.

Still, baby steps, Louis, baby steps. The experience in the house was a lot tougher than he expected.

Ronan Keating says Louis Walsh has ‘shown true colours’ on CBB during Late Late Show interview

A shaken one.

The former X Factor judge, who lives in Dublin because he “can’t stand the bulls*** of London” says he struggled with crippling insomnia in the show.

Sharing a bedroom with 12 other “snorting, farting housemates” took its toll.

Indeed, medics treated him in secret after he experienced two panic attacks in the early hours of the morning.

Almost two million people saw Louis, dubbed the people’s champion, come fourth on Friday night.

So what is his verdict on his new pals? (Or, indeed, non-pals).

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Louis and fellow X-Factor judge Sharon Osbourne were stirring the pot on Celebrity Big BrotherCredit: Eroteme
He said: “Nikita [Kuzmin] and Fern [Britton] wanted it the most — they played to the cameras.

“The person that I would least like to hang out with is Gary [Goldsmith]. He wouldn’t listen, he kept telling the same old joke all the time. There was nothing to the man; he shouldn’t have been there — he should have known not to be there. It is not his world.

“Fern is OK. I mean she desperately wanted to win. She was wallpaper — she doesn’t give you anything.

“Nikita is very ambitious but I think he will become a star, a TV presenter — he can do it all. I love Levi he is a totally genuine man, very placid, outgoing, and really got on with Colson. We’ve swapped numbers.”

Now, I’ve been friends with Louis for almost 20 years.

LOUIS’ VERDICT

Naturally, then, I, too, have been on the receiving end of his venomous little tongue.

As a cub journalist, I once wrote unkindly about Westlife, the band he put together and managed, hugely successfully.

That day, I got a furious phone call. “You are the worst journalist in the world,” he blasted, succinctly. “You’re a disgrace to showbiz journalism,” he continued, not drawing breath.

Two days later, I bumped into him at a party.

He was with Westlife.

I bowled over and introduced myself formally. “I can’t believe your nerve,” he laughed, before promptly introducing me to the band as “the worst journalist in the world”.

SHELL-SHOCKED

We’ve been mates ever since, and he’s been a brilliant source of indiscreet gossip and fun.

Louis says things he doesn’t always mean — and, unlike many stars, never holds a grudge. With Lou-Lou, what you see is what you get.

But the Louis I meet in a West London hotel today, is a very different one from a few years ago. He seems . . . subdued.

Unquestionably, the Big Brother experience has left him slightly shell-shocked. He says he’s knackered, and feels flat, and apologises after our interview for being “quiet”.

It is clear his cancer diagnosis has hit him hard.

During his time on the show he revealed that in lockdown he had been diagnosed with Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia, a rare type of blood cancer.

The condition is incurable, but he is “living with it and managing it”.

Please, for anyone reading this, and you don’t feel well, please, please go and get checked

Louis Walsh

After his revelation, searches for the diseases shot up 18,200 per cent.

The Blood Cancer UK charity has publicly thanked the star for raising awareness of the illness.

Louis said: “Please, for anyone reading this, and you don’t feel well, please, please go and get checked.

“If this interview encourages one person to go to a doctor, then this has all been worth it.”

For more than 15 years the Irish manager was a household name.

After managing Boyzone to international success, making both them and him millions in the process, he began his TV career in 2001 on the Irish version of Popstars.

SIMON SNUB

Three years later, he was appointed a judge alongside Simon Cowell and Sharon Osbourne on the X Factor.

He loved his time on the show and although he no longer speaks to former boss Simon, he still has a lot of affection for the multi-millionaire.

During his time on the show he also worked with Cheryl Cole, Dannii Minogue, Nicole Scherzinger and Spice Girls Mel B and Geri Halliwell.

He famously managed Cheryl’s band, Girls Aloud, and equally famously fell out with them — and was criticised for telling the women they needed to lose weight.

But what’s his take on his erstwhile colleagues now? He said Simon has had “a few facelifts”.

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Despite the fact Louis no longer speaks to former boss Simon Cowell, he still has a lot of affection for the multi-millionaireCredit: Getty – Contributor
He admits he may have been a bit harsh on Dannii and is complimentary about Nicole, Cheryl, Geri and even Boyzone’s Ronan.

He was slightly less generous toward Bob Geldof, though.

But back to Louis. Does he have plans to burst back on to the showbiz scene?

Will we be seeing him starring in panto any time soon?

He said: “Really? I don’t know what’s next. I just want to live.”

An unexpectedly circumspect conclusion to one of the liveliest careers in showbiz.

But this, after all, is the new Louis Walsh.

FOR support and information go to www.bloodcancer.org.uk

On Nicole Scherzinger

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Louis says Nicole Scherzinger always looks the businessCredit: Getty
“I love her. She says she’s 43, but she’s a good-looking 43. She treats the whole business like an Olympian. She gets ready and she always looks the business”

On Bob Geldof

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Bob Geldof needs to have a wash according to LouisCredit: Splash
“I wish he’d have a bath. He needs to have a wash and clean himself up and save the world”

On Girls Aloud

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Louis denies calling Girls Aloud fatCredit: Getty
“I didn’t call them fat. I said they had to lose a bit of weight and look better. I wasn’t being vicious. I wasn’t at all. I would have said it to men”

On Geri Halliwell

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Gerri Halliwell is a bit wacky, claims LouisCredit: Rex Features
“I did Popstars: The Rivals with Geri. She is a bit wacky. She’s Geri, she’s different and ambitious beyond belief”

On Danii Minogue

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Louis claimed ‘I honestly regret a few things that I said (about Danii Minogue)’Credit: Getty Images – Getty
“I was a bit harsh. I honestly regret a few things that I said. We were rivals and we all wanted to win. She was a very good judge, she was tough”

On Ronan Keating

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Louis says he only slags off Ronan Keating as he knows it annoys himCredit: Getty
“He is a great survivor, a great hustler. I don’t resent him at all. I slag him off as I know it annoys him”

On Cheryl Cole

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Louis wishes Cheryl Cole made more musicCredit: Splash
“I like her. I wish she’d do more music. We’ve had our disagreements, but that’s good, it’s healthy to disagree. I think she is as good as a lot of people out there”