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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Entertainment
Lisa McLoughlin

Ronan Keating calls ex-manager Louis Walsh a 'jealous bullsh***er' after the CBB star declared him a 'p***k'

Ronan Keating criticised his ex-manager and current Celebrity Big Brother housemate Louis Walsh, calling him a “jealous bulls****er”.

Last week, fans of the pair were left stunned when Walsh, 71, publicly referred to the singer, who he also managed in Boyzone, as a “p***k” on the ITV reality show.

In audio obtained by The Sun, the former frontman, 47, can be heard lifting the lid on why his and the X Factor judge’s professional relationship soured when his solo career took off after leaving the Irish boyband.

In the recording, from the height of their feud in 2006, Keating can be heard fuming to biographer Rob McGibbon how Walsh had “really hurt” him.

He said: “I've no respect for Louis because he has none for me. He was very jealous of me.

“I had to sack him because he wouldn't manage me. He's a very selfish character. It's bulls*** man. He's a bulls****er.”

Walsh pictured with Keating and his ex wife Yvonne Connolly in 2003 (Getty Images)

The Standard have contacted Ronan Keating's representatives for comment.

The furore all began when Keating’s solo single Life Is A Rollercoaster was played into the CBB house to which Walsh said: “Great song,” before leaning over to Sharon Osbourne and adding: “He was such a p***k.”

Walsh then added: “Everybody thinks he's a lovely guy, do you know what I mean?”

As the song continued to play, the music manager criticised Keating’s career, claiming: “He hasn't had a hit record since I left. He sacked me.”

It’s not only Keating who Walsh has upset with his comments on CBB but also Jedward after he branded them “vile” on the reality TV series when asked what it was like working with the twin brothers.

Identical twins John and Edward Grimes shot to fame on The X Factor in 2009 as Jedward. While on the show, the then 17-year-olds were mentored by Walsh.

The pop duo has since released four studio albums and embarked on a TV and presenting career, hosting shows such as Jedward’s Big Adventure, with both twins appearing on Celebrity Big Brother in 2011.

Minutes after Walsh’s comments aired on the ITV show, they took to X, formerly Twitter, to share a series of tweets in which they criticised their former manager and branded him an “evil manipulator”.

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