Louis Walsh wants Bowie and McCartney as X judges

Louis Walsh wants David Bowie and Sir Paul McCartney to be judges on 'The X Factor'.

The music manager is set to return to the judging panel of the ITV1 talent show later this year alongside Dannii Minogue, but fellow judges Simon Cowell and Cheryl Cole could quit because they are working on the American version and Louis is keen for some big names to replace them.

He said: "I think there will be two new judges and I think Simon and Cheryl will be in America during the next UK series. No one has been hired for it yet but I've had an off-the-record chat with Simon."

When asked who he would like to replace them with, Louis replied: "Someone like David Bowie, Paul McCartney or Lenny Kravitz."

Louis would also love to see Sharon Osbourne - who quit the show three years ago but returned to help him select his finalists last series - make a full-time return to the panel.

He added in an interview on 'OK!TV': "I would also love a certain Mrs. Sharon Osbourne back."

Whoever is a judge, Louis admits this year's series has a lot to live up to.

He said: "We had an amazing year. But we always want to make the show bigger and better every time."

Last year's series was won by Matt Cardle, although Rebecca Ferguson, One Direction, Cher Lloyd and Mary Byrne all received recording contracts.