Simon Cowell hints at Louis Walsh leaving the X Factor

Simon Cowell has fuelled speculation that longtime X Factor judge Louis Walsh may be leaving the show with a cryptic early morning tweet.

It follows mounting speculation over the shake-up of the hit ITV talent show, which has already seen presenter Dermot O'Leary replaced by Olly Murs and Caroline Flack.

Reports have suggested Walsh will be replaced as a judge after 11 years, with One Direction's Louis Tomlinson and BBC Radio One's Nick Grimshaw among those tipped to replace him.

"There is a great deal of speculation over the judging line-up for this year's series," an X Factor spokesman told the Daily Mirror. "However, no formal decision has been made."

A few weeks ago the 62-year-old former Westlife manager told Ireland's TV3 that he thought he was "done with X Factor".

Series regular Sinitta said Tomlinson, 23, would be an "amazing" judge who had already "spent a lot of time" working with acts behind the scenes last year.

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