Dermot insists 'X Factor' rivalries are real

Dermot O'Leary has insisted that none of the arguments between the X Factor judges are staged.

The show's host admitted that Simon Cowell, Louis Walsh, Sharon Osbourne and Dannii Minogue get on well behind the scenes, but explained that their competitive natures emerge during the live shows.

"What you see from the judges is 100% real," Dermot told the Belfast Telegraph. "Off-screen they get on really well, especially Louis and Simon, but once the cameras roll, it's a different story. But it's not fake, it's as if they keep all their frustrations for the show and say what they've got to say then. Maybe it's like being on a psychiatrist's couch."

O'Leary was signed up for the ITV1 talent show following the axing of Kate Thornton, who fronted the first three series.

"I'm having the time of my life with The X Factor," he added. "It was a huge compliment to be asked to do it and I'm having a great time."