Louis Walsh has taken a dig at pop groups Girls Aloud and the Spice Girls while discussing some of this year’s X Factor contestants.

The returning judge said: “We had some drag queens who looked like the Spice Girls or Girls Aloud!

“They couldn’t sing so they reminded me of those two groups.”

Louis Walsh and Nicole Scherzinger
The X Factor’s Louis Walsh and Nicole Scherzinger (Thames / Syco Entertainment)

Louis briefly managed Girls Aloud after the group won ITV talent series Popstars: The Rivals in 2002.

He previously criticised 1990s group the Spice Girls, dubbing the band “untalented” and “very lucky and very overrated”.

Louis has, however, praised former X Factor contestant Rylan Clark-Neal, who is set to front spin-off show The Xtra Factor Live with co-host Matt Edmondson.

Girls Aloud
Louis Walsh has slammed Girls Aloud (Ian West/PA Archive/PA Images)

He said: “Rylan is back, I think he’s so entertaining, funny and he’s intelligent, and he wears an awful lot of make-up – what’s not to like?

“Simon doesn’t really know Rylan because he wasn’t on the show when Rylan was on, so I kept telling him he had to hire Rylan. I think The Xtra Factor this year is going to be the biggest and best it’s ever been.”

The music manager joked about Rylan’s renowned cosmetically enhanced smile, adding that “he’s got bigger teeth than Simon”.

Spice Girls
The Spice Girls have also been panned by Louis Walsh (Ian West/ PA Archive/PA Wire)

Louis has returned to The X Factor after leaving last year, having served as a judge for the first 11 series between 2004 and 2014.

He claimed to have no role in a campaign to get him back on the programme but said it was “amazing” to be back after the year’s break.

“Simon and I talk all the time, we’re always good friends and even last year during the show I would call him up and he would just laugh at me every night,” he said.

Rylan Clark-Neal and Matt Edmondson
The Xtra Factor Live’s Rylan Clark-Neal and Matt Edmondson (Thames / Syco Entertainment)

“I have a very honest relationship with (Simon), he’s not going to get anyone to be as honest and hard-working as me, let’s be frank.”

He added that this year’s line-up was the “best” and that they were all friends, despite each of them being “egotistical” and opinionated.