X-Factor judges Louis Walsh and Nicole Scherzinger have asked for the contestants on this year’s series to work as hard as Team GB’s Olympic heroes.

Speaking ahead of tonight’s first episode of the talent show’s ninth series, Walsh told the Daily Star that the wannabe singers could learn a lot from the likes of Jessica Ennis and Mo Farah:

“I would love the contestants to work as hard as the people in the Olympics. They are so dedicated and their work ethic is incredible. That’s what this business needs, you must work hard.

“We want 100% for our contestants and if they don’t give us 100% I’m not going to give them 100%. But if they do then I’ll work so hard for them. We (the judges) are all like that.”

The former Pussycat Doll, who recently joked that she's still waiting to be given credit for her role in forming One Direction, also agreed with her now colleague:

“People always ask me how I got where I am and I always say that I train like an Olympian and I think like one too.

“When it comes to the work, that’s when I have no tolerance for laziness or any bad attitudes. I’ve been doing this way too long to take things for granted.”