BRITNEY PAL NEW LOUIS
EXCLUSIVE £250k deal for Grease judge Brian
By GRAHAM BROUGH and NICOLA METHVEN 07/05/2007
GREASE Is The Word's camp judge Brian Friedman will replace sacked panellist Louis Walsh on The X Factor in a £250,000 deal.
The shaven-headed US choreographer - who claims he inspired best pal Britney Spears to ditch her hair - impressed Simon Cowell with his bitchy quips on the theatre talent search.
He had been favourite to win the prized TV role and beat off a number of rivals, including 70s singer Donny Osmond.
Brian, 29, will join Cowell, Sharon Osbourne and newcomer Dannii Minogue on the judging panel when The X Factor returns to ITV1 in August.
And children will feature on the show for the first time.
A TV insider said: "As there will be a kids category, it makes sense to have a younger judge. Simon has been really impressed with his performance on Grease - Brian is bitchy and proud of it."
The American recently gushed: "I honestly love everything Simon says."
But he angered Grease viewers after suggesting a couple's performance was "like British food - bland, tasteless and boring".
He also bragged that his countrymen were better movers, claiming: "British men can't dance."
Brian lives with his two dogs and two parrots in LA but grew up in Arizona. At 16, he set up his own dance studio.
He went on to choreograph Britney, Beyonce, Pink, Prince, Usher and other stars. The dancer was also Christopher Walken's double in the Fatboy Slim video for Weapon of Choice.
After US show So You Think You Can Dance? made him famous, he shaved his hair to avoid being recognised.
When Britney did the same following rehab, he said: "I've heard I was her inspiration. It was a bold decision but one of the best I've made. I felt free."
An X Factor spokeswoman said last night: "We cannot announce the full line-up yet."
Grease had 3.9million viewers on Saturday - but was beaten again by BBC1's Any Dream Will Do with 5.5million.
g.brough@mirror.co.uk
