Louis Walsh has been making jokes about Nicole Scherzinger's lack of contestants to mentor in the final two weeks of The X Factor.
The former Pussycat Dolls singer was left with nobody in her girls category after her final contestant Tamera Foster was voted off the ITV talent show on Sunday (01.12.13), but she reportedly hasn't taken too kindly to the Irish music manager ribbing her after being left devastated about the 16-year-old wannabe's exit.
An insider told The Sun newspaper: "Nicole has spent the last 12 months teasing the other judges that James and Jahmene came first and second last year making her the most successful judge in 'X Factor' history.
"So when Louis saw her become the first judge to lose all her acts this year, he couldn't resist teasing her. He was pulling her leg.
"Louis loves a bit of banter and he leapt up out of his seat on the show and started goading Nicole about having no acts left.
"But she took it badly because she was upset about Tamera leaving."
Fortunately, Gary Barlow was on hand to calm Nicole down following Louis' jokey jibes.
The source added "Louis wasn't being mean and was only joking but Nicole was very upset to lose Tamera so she took it badly. It was crossed wires.
"Once Gary calmed them down they were alright again and they went out to dinner later to make sure everything was OK."
Last year, Nicole became the first judge to take two acts into the final when James Arthur - who went on to win the show - and Jahmene Douglas reached the final three alongside Gary's act Chris Maloney.
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