With Britney though she used to come across as fun and bubbly in interviews. Now she seems awkward, bored and zoned out most of the time since her meltdown. Demi has had similar mental health issues but seems far more coherant on this show. Both take medication for these issues, it just seems Britney now is struggling sadly to show much, if any emotions which can be byproduct of taking these type of drugs.

she was always a couple of sandwiches short of a picnic hence all the staged interviews where she had learnt her lines

it still seems ridiculous that people buy in to the mental health problems as that was a smokescreen for drug related problems

How do you know 'it was a smokescreen'. She's under a conservatorship - you don't get put under one for having drug problems. Otherwise Lindsay Lohan would have put in one years ago. And you contradicted yourself - you stated that she 'was a few sandwiches short of picnic' (ignorant), but then that the mental health problems were just a 'smokescreen'.

To the OP - Britney's not a disaster as a judge at all, I, and a few others I know IRL, all enjoy her watching her on screen - she's straight to the point, doesn't attention hog or go into silly histrionics (Nicole Scherzinger), act sullen (Tulisa) or brim over with fake, cloying 'empathy' (Cheryl). I find her refreshing to watch. You still seem so confused as to why she was picked for the show, it's because she's Britney Spears, one of the biggest stars of all time. No one of her calibre has even done the X Factor before, which is why they wanted her on it. But then you do think that Cheryl and Nicole are more relevant than Britney is... I need say no more.

This. She is like a footballer giving a post-match interview - everything is just rote-learned, cliched soundbites that can be applied to any situation. At no point does she convince that her "thoughts" are genuine and her own.

I do think, howeve,r that the drug and mental health issues went hand in hand. She had too much too young. She went from a fairly sheltered upbringing to being thrown into an atmosphere that was the complete opposite. At her age (and dare I say, intelligence), she would have been too impressionable to resist the usual trappings of the LA lifestyle.

BIB/ No it is not, promoting on radio last year it was much deeper and almost husky, now it's Barbie on speed!

...and the lack of personality, i've been a fan of hers since the nineties she has NEVER been so restrained in her comments etc as she has on on The X-Factor.

Her voice is her own voice though, she can control it however she likes. Her style of humour is normally little accents and changes in her voice (Along with the crazy faces).

In the Nineties, Early Noughties, and even Late Noughties she was a Teenager/Young Adult. She is now an adult, her personality will be restrained and more mature.

The word that followed Britney Spears throughout her career has mainly been "professional". I see her behaviour as incredibly professional, but she has embraced a sense of freedom with it as well. Her comments are rarely frivilous or pointless, they're on track, and she does seem to care about her acts. All the public bashing seems to stem from her not being a trainwreck and so people are disappointed. They predicted one crazy, rollercoaster type judging live shows, and instead they have reserved and professional type judging live shows. That's how I see it.

I like Britney but taking this job when she obviously wasn't ready is her dad/manager's fault.
It's probably the meds, but her eyes are like glass - creeps me out.