Bradley & Ottavio: State Of This

X Factor duo Bradley and Ottavio have claimed they were booted from Channel 4's Coach Trip because of 'homophobic bullying', according to a report.

The hopefuls - who made it through to Judges' Houses after Louis Walsh's controversial decisions saw him swap several groups during the Six Chair Challenge - have independently appeared on several reality shows including Channel 5's Strip Date and X Factor for a second time.

While on Channel 4's popular daytime show however, when they featured together, they were booted off after contestants deemed their behaviour to be 'irresponsible'.

Speaking about the departure, the pair have claimed there was much more to it, claiming the contestants were being homophobic, stating they wanted to 'get the gays out next'...

Mirror.

Could be justified here.

Stephen Gately: A Boy's Own Secret

Former Boyzone manager Louis Walsh has opened up about late '90s heartthrob Stephen Gately, saying he feared his career would be over if the public found out he was gay.

Kate Thornton, on her BBC radio show Paper Cuts, also quizzed the X Factorjudge on how he made Boyzone famous, and how he helped hide Gately's sexual orientation...

As a manager, he saw it as his job to cover up Stephen's sexuality, even telling the press he was in a relationship with Mariah Carey: "I married Stephen Gately off to so many people because Stephen didn't want anyone to know he was gay at the start.

"He was dreading all of his life that this was going to ruin his career... He was in the end [outed] by The Sun but it didn't matter, in fact it was the best thing for him, he was free then, he had nothing to him.

"At that time it wasn't cool to be gay and be in a boyband, because the girls had to like them." ...

Digital Spy.

The exchange below is interesting.

When I suggested at the time that Stephen had been outed by The Sun - and they'd blackmailed him into 'coming out' by saying they were going to run a story as part of Boyzone's entourage had sold them some photos of him canoodling with a man - their press officer got very angry and assured me this was nonsense.

His big coming out interview in The Sun was most odd - none of the quotes sounded like him, and bizarrely for such a big media event, they neglected to do a photo session.

Walsh: ‘He was dreading all of his life that this was going to ruin his career… He was in the end [outed] by The Sun but it didn’t matter, in fact it was the best thing for him, he was free then, he had nothing to hide.’

Thornton: ‘I remember getting a phone call from you when I was the editor of Smash Hits and you said “Is it OK if I tell the Daily Star that you’re going out with Stephen Gately because he’s gay?”

Walsh: ‘The next day I opened the papers and you had him with Mariah Carey – I phoned you up and said you could have gone with something more plausible! You said “No. It’s global.”‘

Paper Cuts, BBC Radio 2.

Of course, it wasn't Louis Walsh's decision to keep young Stephen in the closet.

And when did you come out exactly?

X Factor: That Bad, Huh?

The Sun.

Nick Grimshaw: Good Question

Telegraph.

'Known by his nickname 'Grim'...'

PS He's got the X Factor gig - another reason not to watch it.

She's living the dream!

Update: During said broadcast, former Radio 1 breakfast-show host Evans anoints current Radio 1 breakfast-show host, Nick Grimshaw, as his successor in any permanent revival of the show. The following Monday, Evans is announced as the permanent host of Top Gear after all, the residual goodwill towards TFI apparently paving the way for a Grimshaw-led revival, almost as if the whole thing had been planned all along. Later that week, Grimshaw is announced as the new Louis Walsh on The X Factor, the first time an openly gay man has held the position of Louis Walsh on The X Factor, making Grimshaw’s cultural hegemony almost complete.

Naughty Dan Martin in The Guardian online.

Louis Walsh: Boy Trouble

BRITAIN’S Got Talent was caught up in a new favouritism scandal last night for “fast-tracking” Louis Walsh’s boyband to the next round.

Walsh hand-picked the five members of Hometown in open auditions from 1,000 hopefuls in Dublin last May, hoping to create a new Boyzone or Westlife.

And they appeared to breeze through a recent BGT audition in Belfast into round two after getting Simon Cowell’s approval...

The Sun.

Though they do say it only looks like these hand-picked lads might have been favourited...

Louis Walsh: Happy As Larry

I wonder about his sexuality. I ask him to tell me if he’s straight or gay. “I can’t,” he says. “Don’t go there. I can’t. I think your private life is your private life.”
It emerges that I am straight. “Really? Are you really straight? I thought you might be gay! I thought you might be.”
Of himself: “Don’t go there! I’m happy. Happy as Larry!”
I mention Kevin Spacey, who said he didn’t want to tell me if he is gay or straight, because to be mysterious, as an actor, is to have an advantage. Louis loves this: “Walking his dog at four in the morning!”
And: “I watched House of Cards. He’s great. Love him, love him, love him.” 

Profile In The Times.

Louis also talks about the toilet incident (“It’s the worst thing ever in my life. My greatest nightmare. I thought my life was over”), Jan Moir on Stephen Gateley (“I think that was her opinion and, you know, in a way, she’s entitled to her opinion. I think she’s a good journalist. I’ve met her since, and I like her"), and is Simon Cowell a gayer ("Not at all... he's theatrical... it's an English thing").
So now you know...

Union J: There's Always One

X FACTOR heart-throb Jaymi Hensley has revealed Louis Walsh encouraged him to come out. The Union J singer sought advice from his mentor on the show, who has managed top bands Boyzone and Westlife, about making his decision.

And speaking exclusively to The Sun last night, Jaymi said: “I spoke to Louis about this and he said, ‘put it this way, both of my big boybands had a gay member in them.’ So he said it fits the formula quite well!
“Every boyband has got to have a gay one! And Louis just said ‘do it’.”
And Jaymi is delighted he did, admitting: “I’m gay and I’ve never been happier!”

“I came on to the show not wanting to be judged for my personal life.
“But people have caught wind of it and I just wanted to set the record straight. It is not a big thing for me — I came out when I was 14 to my family and friends and never had one piece of negativity.
“It is a brave move. There could be negative people, but they are just sad and stuck 20 years ago.
“I hope the reaction will hopefully be, ‘OK, we kind of knew, but well done on coming out’.
“I don’t want people to think I have hidden this to gain votes because I am so proud of who I am. I hope people respect me for being honest.”

The Sun Sunday. 

The Sun and the Sun Sunday's predecessor, The News Of The World, are notorious for effectively blackmailing young gay celebs into coming out, but clearly this has not happened here, and Jaymi just decided last night to tell all to the all-new and totally different "this leopard is now striped" Sun Sunday on a whim.
Obvs.

Top Jaymi Tru Popfax!

1. He spelz his name in a really annoying ditzy young queen way.

2. His boyfriend is a hairdresser!

3. The kid has dreams - big dreams. “I want to be able to go to gay clubs and be pictured with [Katie Price] and her gay friends.”

“I want to be able to go to gay clubs and be pictured with her and her gay friends. I want to have fun with my life.”

Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/x_factor/4650601/Every-boyband-needs-a-gay-one-and-Im-Union-Js.html#ixzz2CZCFy0er 

X FACTOR heart-throb Jaymi Hensley has revealed Louis Walsh encouraged him to come out.

The Union J singer sought advice from his mentor on the show, who has managed top bands Boyzone and Westlife, about making his decision.
And speaking exclusively to The Sun last night, Jaymi said: “I spoke to Louis about this and he said, ‘put it this way, both of my big boybands had a gay member in them.’ So he said it fits the formula quite well!
“Every boyband has got to have a gay one! And Louis just said ‘do it’.”
And Jaymi is delighted he did, admitting: “I’m gay and I’ve never been happier!”


Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/x_factor/4650601/Every-boyband-needs-a-gay-one-and-Im-Union-Js.html#ixzz2CZAJyBaG

Louis Walsh: Trial By Tabloid

"People knew it was untrue, but they still put it on the front page. They tried to ruin me. They are just vile people. Nasty people. The funny thing is they have an anti-bullying campaign in the Irish Sun at the moment. It's the most ironic thing.
"You know the real story. It ruined me. I'll never get over it, I'll be quite honest with you. I'm wary of everyone now, of everything I say, everyone I meet, always looking over my shoulder – I was never like this before. It was the worst thing that happened to me. All I have in this business is my name, and I would have lost everything. People would have said there's no smoke without fire."

Louis Walsh interviewed by Simon Hattenstone for The Guardian, talking about being accused of molesting a man in a toilet last year.
Yet another false allegation of sexual assault made against a public figure.
Walsh is currently suing The Irish Sun.
Hattenstone also asked the question no-one ever does.

Walsh is open about everything but his private life. It's not that he's uptight about it, there's just something rather old-fashioned about him. I ask if he's gay. Ach, who cares, he says. "My sexuality is irrelevant. Next question."

Though several tabloids appeared to give the "gay sex attack claims" story so much prominence as it was an underhand way of outing Louis Walsh.
You may also want to compare and contrast the tabloids' current outrage over "trial by Twitter", with this example of trial by tabloids.

Louis Walsh: Justice

"A JOBLESS dance teacher has been sentenced to six months in jail for falsely accusing X Factor judge Louis Walsh of groping him in a nightclub.
"Leonard Watters, 24, admitted making two false reports to police that the music mogul sexually assaulted him in Dublin nightspot Krystle..."

The Sun. 

Good news.

I hope Mr Walsh went out and celebrated with his good lady wife.

TV Poofs News: 5? 6? 7? 8??!!!

Good evening! Here is the TV Poofs News!
Bong!
Louie Spence - world reknowned journalist and media mogul choreographer and television personality - has been given a regular spot on This Morning
He'll be handing out grooming and fashion [!] tips to students, "homeworkers", seniors and the rapidly-increasing massed ranks of the unemployed.
Hey! Anyone who annoys the fuck out of queer Uncle Tom Andrew Pierce is a friend o' Fagburn's.
Bong!
Don't forget to tune into the first of Jonathan Ross's ITV1 new chat show thing on Saturday.
It's gonna be a whole lot better than his BBC1 one.
That's right, he's given those cunts 4 Poofs & A Piano the push.
Ah, the Poofs - Margarita Pracatan to Wossy's Clive James.
ie Everyone thought they were absolute shit.
Bong!
And finally... Jedward are not gay!!!
I know this cause I read it in the papers.
'Jedward are not gay or autistic, their manager insists' Metro.
Actually their manager didn't say this, their tour manager did in an interview with New! Magazine.
And if someone says something a magazine then it must be true, innit?
New! asked this tour manager/roadie bloke why they seem so shy when talking about their "lovelives" on Celebrity Big Brother?
"They are really shy. I’m sure they do fancy girls but don’t like talking about sex as they’re probably aware that their granny is watching!"
Bless!
But Darryn - the boorish morbidly obese Australian one on Celebrity Big Brother - recently inferred the world reknowned journalists and media moguls lovable Irish singing twins - Jedward & Jedward were A PAIR OF MENTALIST GAYS!
"Darryn was just stirring s***. They’re not gay," insisted one Liam McKenna.
So why haven't they had girlfriends, yet?
Eh? EH!!!!
Is it a mad Christian "No sex til marriage" thing like their brainwashed idols The Jonas Brothers?
Or Sir Cliff Of Richard, for example.
"I don’t know if they’re overly religious, I think it’s just a conscious decision they made. The Jonas Brothers are their idols and they said they didn’t want sex before marriage. I think the boys live their life by these guys."
Of course.
I am literally rooting for them to win.*
Their actual manager, Louis Walsh, was unavailable for comment.
And anyway, Louis Walsh is also really shy and doesn’t like talking about sex in case his granny's watching.

* I am actually. This isn't ironic. I love those two to bits.

Louis Walsh: Partners In Crime

'He cites Elton John as someone who commands respect. “He’s my hero in music. Absolutely. He called me recently when I had a big problem, and he didn’t have to do that. But he lifted up the phone and helped.”
'The “problem” is the allegation made in June by a 24-year-old man that Walsh groped him in a Dublin nightclub toilet. The man is said to have later admitted that he was lying, and it was soon evident that Walsh had no case to answer. Nevertheless, he says the fact that what he considers a libel was even published — and on the front page of The Sun — has damaged him psychologically. “It was the biggest nightmare in my life and I will never get over it. I’m still emotional, even talking about it now,” he says. You can tell that he is genuinely upset, so it is unfortunate that his expression — drawn, pained — is instantly familiar as the one that you’ll see when he has to decide whether to vote off some plucky kid on The X Factor. “I’m stressed out. I’m taking sleeping tablets and I’m really wary ... wary of everybody that approaches me now. I am scared. I am suing The Sun. I will never recover from what has happened to me. Never. But I’m trying to block it out and just get on with The X Factor,” he says. “That’s me being absolutely honest, and you can quote me on that.”

Louis Walsh is given a glowing profile in The Times.
The Sun's original story on the "gay sex assault allegations" appears to have disappeared into the ether.
Fagburn really hopes Louis does sue.
But why is he talking to The Sun's big sister paper, The Times?

The current Private Eye claims Queen drummer Roger Taylor recently ordered the cancellation of a Sunday Times serialisation of the book 40 Years Of Queen.
He still hasn't forgiven Rupert Murdoch's News International for The Sun publishing long-lens photos of Freddie Mercury when he was dying 20 years ago.
Fuck the lot of 'em.

Louis Walsh: Free

"A man (24) has been charged with falsely accusing music industry manager judge Louis Walsh of indecent assault at a Dublin nightclub.
"Leonard Watters, who was granted bail on condition he does not contact Walsh or anyone from the Westlife band, is charged with making a false report to gardaí. He appeared at a brief sitting of the Dublin District Court just before 1pm.
"Walsh has described the investigation over the last week as hugely distressing.
"Mr Watters was charged under sectiuis wal;on 12 of the Criminal Law Act, and penalties for the offence range from a €500 fine to five years in prison..."

Irish Times.
Always good to hear a millionaire winning over a homeless man...
The Sun says; "LOUIS Walsh was given a standing ovation at X Factor auditions yesterday - 24 hours after he was cleared of a gay sex attack.
"The talent show judge looked close to tears as a 5,000-strong audience clapped, cheered and chanted his name..."
That's nice - I still hope Louis Walsh sues The Sun.
As ever, Fagburn's thoughts are with Mr Walsh and his wife at this difficult time.

Louis Walsh: Bollocks

"I have been informed by An Garda Síochána [The Irish police] that I am now no longer under investigation. I have robustly maintained from the outset that this alleged incident did not occur.
"While I obviously welcome today’s confirmation from the Garda that the matter has been dropped I remain outraged that this story ran in the first place in The Sun and I have instructed my libel lawyer to vigorously pursue legal action against the paper.
"I have no intention of letting this matter rest until I have received total and absolute vindication. This has been a hugely distressing time for me but I would like to thank all my friends and colleagues for their support and I am now just looking forward to getting back to work."

Louis Walsh. I hope he does.
Here is The Sun's first story;
'Louis Walsh probed over ‘sex attack on man in loo'.
My thoughts are with Louis and his wife at this difficult time.

Louis Walsh: Tragedy Turned Into Tabloid Gold

The Daily Star, The Daily Mirror and The Sun all give over their front pages to the Louis Walsh "gay sex attack" allegations.
Any X Factor story is always tabloid gold, but this one is actually (grimly) newsworthy.
Unfortunately there's not much substance to their stories today.
All had quotes from Louis saying much the same thing;
"I’m devastated by the completely unfounded and malicious allegations. Anyone who knows me knows this is all a pack of lies. It’s hurtful someone can do this and think they can get away with it," appeared in both the Mirror and the Sun, as did many others.
The Sun front page read; "Cowell: I back Louis 100%."
Inside we learnt Cowell said; "Like all of his close friends I will support him 100 per cent."
Thrillingly The Sun also told us; "Jedward refused to comment on the allegations yesterday as they attended a charity competition at a school in Dublin."
The Mirror, The Star and The Sun were all united in thinking Louis was innocent - so much so you began to wonder why the police were bothering to investigate.
One thing we didn't learn is what Louis Walsh's wife feels about all this.

Update: "LOUIS Walsh is “highly unlikely” to face any charges, according to Irish police sources.
"But because the young dad who accused him of sexual assault – which the X Factor judge categorically denies – is pursuing the complaint, officers will still have to interview Louis.
"Last night the Mirror learned that the “victim” changed his story when an analysis of CCTV revealed nothing..." Mirror Online.

Update 2: "POLICE last night said the probe into claims Louis Walsh indecently assaulted a man in a club toilet could take months..." The Sun, Saturday.