Walsh: 'Cole is getting away with murder'

Louis Walsh has claimed that Cheryl Cole is "getting away with murder" on The X Factor.

The Irish judge criticised Cole for her reaction to Laura White's shock elimination from the ITV1 talent series last weekend.

Girls Aloud star Cole accused Walsh and Simon Cowell of voting tactically when they chose to save Ruth Lorenzo rather than White in the final showdown.

However, speaking to The People, Walsh insisted: "I did not do it to spite Cheryl. Cheryl has two girls already through. What did she want? Three girls in the bloody final!

"If Cheryl had her way, she thinks it's going to be handed to her on a plate because it's her first year in X Factor. She gets away with murder. But it's the public who control the show."

Walsh added that Cole should start blaming herself for White's exit rather than complaining about her fellow judges.

"I thought Cheryl's choice of song for Laura was a disaster," he explained. "It was Mariah Carey week and she gave Laura the Lionel Richie song 'Endless Love' and put her behind the piano. She sounded atrocious, it's as simple as that."