Love him or hate him, there is no denying the impact Simon Cowell has made on the music industry, in large part thanks to his contributions to The X-Factor and American Idol.
However, despite his successes, Cowell needed to dish out the big bucks for judges on The X-Factor. One of his biggest payouts ever went to Britney Spears, however, as we'll reveal in the following, her presence on the show was a bit of a letdown for Cowell, and she did not return for the following season.
We'll take a closer look at how her colleagues felt about her run on the show, including Demi Lovato. We'll also reveal if Simon Cowell is open to working with Britney again, despite their past on The X-Factor.
Demi Lovato Admitted Losing Britney Spears On The X-Factor Was A Major Loss For The Show
Demi Lovato and Britney Spears appeared together on The X-Factor, and it made for an All-Star team. Lovato admitted to being surprised by Spears, and not what she was expecting.
“What surprised me the most about Britney is that she’s actually really quirky," Lovato tells People. “You kind of expect a legendary pop star [to] sometimes [be], like, a diva or something, but she’s really not. She’s a sweet, down-to-earth, Southern girl.”
Lovato revealed it was quite the experience to work alongside Cowell, Spears and Reid. “It’s such a blessing to be on this show. It came at a time in my life where I really needed something to look forward to in my career. It’s been an amazing opportunity, and getting to sit next to Britney and Simon [Cowell] and L.A. [Reid] has been an honor. [And] Just being able to mentor girls that I believe in is so – I can’t explain it. It feels so great.”
Lovato would go on to state that replacing Spears was going to be an impossible task at the time. "I mean, who can replace Britney, let's be honest."
However, according to Simon Cowell, there was a lot of relief once Spears left the show.
Britney Spears Was Paid $15 Million To Be A Judge On The X-Factor, But Wasn't What Simon Cowell Expected
Louis Walsh was among those to discuss Britney Spears' stint on The X-Factor. According to Walsh, it was a struggle for Britney at times. “They would literally have to stop the show and take her out because she was on so much medication and other stuff,” he claimed. “I felt sorry for her.”
“Here she was, the biggest pop star on the planet, and she was just sitting there physically, but she wasn’t there mentally. She had a lot of problems. You have to pay a price to become famous."
Simon Cowell agreed that Spears wasn't what he was expecting during her time on the show. "We thought, 'well, we'll take Britney. And she was fine, but I think she found it very uncomfortable."
"I kind of booked someone who couldn't talk, which is a bit of a problem when you want someone to judge. She was just uncomfortable ... I liked her ... so we decided to change it this year and I thought, 'I'll work with three girls,' because I like working with girls."
To Britney's credit, she did agree that expressing herself on the show wasn't always the easiest. "I was having panic attack after panic attack,” she told Elle in 2012. “I got over that quickly, though, and realized that I was helping them by being honest. … Personally, I think that’s the toughest part about being a judge on ‘The X Factor.’ Most of them are still developing, and it’s hard to tell such young kids whether they have what it takes or not, so I try to be as protective as I can with their hopes and dreams.”
Despite her run on the show, Simon is still open to exploring more with the pop star.
Simon Cowell Is Still Open To Working Alongside Britney Spears Despite The Past
Simon Cowell valued his time alongside Britney Spears, and that was especially true when it came to their lengthy phone conversations prior to The X-Factor.
“There’s a side of Britney a lot of people don’t know. I mean, I was on the phone to her two or three hours every time. She was super smart, really lovely ideas about how to launch someone else’s career, which is critical if you’re going to be a judge on one of these shows. So I had a fantastic relationship with her.”
Simon would go on to reveal that he is still very much open to reuniting with Spears and working on another project together, despite the past.
“If you’re watching, Britney, and we make a show, please come back and do it with me. It would be amazing. I adore her."
Although Britney wasn't what Cowell expected at the time, she was a major rating mover with her presence alone.
