He might be best known for his role as Simon Cowell's sidekick, but X Factor judge Louis Walsh is a music mogul in his own right, managing acts like Girls Aloud, Westlife, and Shane Ward.

Boy bands propelled Louis to the big time. Seeing Take That's success in the 90s, he decided to put together Ireland's answer to the pop heart throbs - the result was Boyzone. It was a winning formula and one that Louis would repeat - Westlife followed in Boyzone's footsteps a few years later, fulfilling the fantasies of a new generation of teenage girls. Louis' success continued with Shane Ward and Girls Aloud, who were products of The X Factor and its predecessor Pop Stars: The Rivals, which Louis joined as a judge in 2002. Over the years Louis has notched up an impressive 28 number one singles with his various pop stars.