[iamstrong]

Britney Spears will NOT be a judge on "X Factor" next season -- and it's entirely her doing ... TMZ has learned.

We have unimpeachable sources who tell us Britney loves the show but wants to focus on her music ... which she is doing right now. Britney is in the studio recording her 8th album, with some help from Will.i.am and producer Hit-Boy, the brains behind Kanye and Jay-Z's N***s in Paris."

One of our sources tells us ... "Britney loves Simon, she likes Demi Lovato but her thing is music."

We're told after she completes the album, Britney is seriously considering going on tour again.

Walking away from $15 mil ...Yeah, she's that rich.

TMZ is pretty reliable, so I guess this is true. I wonder who the new judges will be, and if Demi will return

http://www.tmz.com/2013/01/10/britne...#ixzz2HXzNIFOT

[C14E]

It was bound to happen - whatever FOX might have said this past week, she wasn't going to be back. And certainly not for $15m or anything close. But Kevin Reilly's support for her (knowing he'd never need to follow through on it) presented the perfect opportunity for her to get out on good terms.

For the show, she was a total bust. But for her personally, even if it wasn't a huge success, it still worked out OK. She got $15m first of all. But she also came across as perfectly sane (albeit a bit awkward and boring) and it will probably have done her some good to be dealing with that amount of exposure and handling it OK after so many years hiding away from interviews.

[pothuthic]

It was always gonna be a one off tbh

[InMyArms]

Whether it was her decision or not it was always going to be reported as her own choice.. the Cowell machine knows how much hype a performance of hers can get the show internationally so wouldn't want to embarrass her into refusing to perform. Upsetting her would also be bad publicity for the show.. her fans are very protective of her.

[LW09]

They should just go for someone tried and tested now, theres no point trying to make it work with a big name because if it didn't work with Britney then it won't work with anyone else bigger. Just go for Kelly Rowland, she'd probably do it and was good on ours but lost her way towards the end. She'd be great on the American one.

[LandslideBrad]

Surely this means Demi is staying? Yes! But I'll miss Britney and L.A, they were great.

I wouldn't mind if they moved Nicole back over to the USA version tbh...

[jackel1234]

so that's LA and Britney gone now. Nicole will stay here until the end of our final series then probably go there. When the uk version ends though I won't be suprised if Louis goes to the USA version.

[LW09]

Originally Posted by jackel1234

so that's LA and Britney gone now. Nicole will stay here until the end of our final series then probably go there. When the uk version ends though I won't be suprised if Louis goes to the USA version.

I don't think the USA version will last beyond the next season, especially if the new American Idol does well.

[jackbell]

Three cast changes as many years. Fox must be losing confidence in Simon Cowell and the end of X Factor USA must be very close now.

[Diceroll_81]

Originally Posted by LW09

They should just go for someone tried and tested now, theres no point trying to make it work with a big name because if it didn't work with Britney then it won't work with anyone else bigger. Just go for Kelly Rowland, she'd probably do it and was good on ours but lost her way towards the end. She'd be great on the American one.

Totally agree, Kelly would be much more suited to the American show. I think her and Demi would make a good team as well.

[AdzPower]

What's funny is that Simon is blaming everyone but himself, he fires Paula, Nicole, L.A and now Britney....it couldn't POSSIBLY be his fault the show is declining? Not to mention the fact that the overall format is tired and ancient. As long as the States have American Idol why would they bother to watch this show?

[abrightyz]

though i don't watch it, i'll miss those precious britney facial expression clips on you tube...

[C14E]

Originally Posted by LW09

I don't think the USA version will last beyond the next season, especially if the new American Idol does well.

There's no link between X Factor and Idol continuing - X Factor will always be judged by FOX in the context of its fall wasteland. It also doesn't follow that a strong Idol means a weak X Factor - X Factor didn't meet expectations in 2011 but instead of coming back strong, Idol collapsed in the season which followed.

On the subject of Britney I think she'll be making FOX nervous about Idol. They bet on big name talent for both X Factor and Idol and put far more cash on Idol. Changing the panel didn't do anything for X Factor so...

The Carey/Minaj feud or "feud" (if you think that way!) has brought a lot of publicity though so it could generate some initial interest.

Originally Posted by AdzPower

What's funny is that Simon is blaming everyone but himself, he fires Paula, Nicole, L.A and now Britney....it couldn't POSSIBLY be his fault the show is declining? Not to mention the fact that the overall format is tired and ancient. As long as the States have American Idol why would they bother to watch this show?

Enough people watch to make it worthwhile for them to make it. Syco posted $52m profits last week, helped significantly by X Factor USA - they want to keep making it. And it was the best FOX had to offer on an ailing fall schedule.

Cowell's mistake was hiring these people in the first place. Nicole was dreadful on the US show. They all praised Paula but he admitted it was his mistake hiring her because it was too much like Idol. Firing them is an admission of his own bad decisions as well as, in some cases, their poor performance. And L.A quit because his label business needs a lot more work, he wasn't fired. FOX wouldn't allow Cowell to leave anyway.

I think next time out they'll just go with more sensible, less controversial and expensive judges.

[String9]

It was bound to happen. I wonder what they were thinking when they signed her? She was never going to go crazy on live TV, and apart from being a great performer in the past, dating Justin Timberlake and going off the rails, I don't think the public knew much about Britney's personality.

They need to get people with experience in the music industry, it doesn't have to be a performer, just people who will be honest and engage with the audience. I say Howard Stern to replace LA and maybe Patti Labelle to replace Britney, she's been in the music industry for decades.

[achro]

I'm excited what bottom-of-the-barrel low-budget judges they will get to fill the last two spots.

[LW09]

Originally Posted by C14E

There's no link between X Factor and Idol continuing - X Factor will always be judged by FOX in the context of its fall wasteland. It also doesn't follow that a strong Idol means a weak X Factor - X Factor didn't meet expectations in 2011 but instead of coming back strong, Idol collapsed in the season which followed.

On the subject of Britney I think she'll be making FOX nervous about Idol. They bet on big name talent for both X Factor and Idol and put far more cash on Idol. Changing the panel didn't do anything for X Factor so...

The Carey/Minaj feud or "feud" (if you think that way!) has brought a lot of publicity though so it could generate some initial interest.

With the money they're throwing at it, the way forward is inevitably going to be budget cuts. Even with the new panel, the ratings were still down on last year. With yet another new panel, you can't predict which way it is going to go, so will FOX want to burn yet more money on it if it isn't bringing in the viewers? It still hasn't been a success even now its heading into its third series and has had Britney Spears as a judge. Is X Factor USA ever realistically going to happen?

Also with X Factor and American Idol airing in such close proximity, X Factor could end up burning American Idol out because they are effectiely the same show. That's my point about its future depending on how American Idol does.

[xeo]

Originally Posted by jackel1234

so that's LA and Britney gone now. Nicole will stay here until the end of our final series then probably go there. When the uk version ends though I won't be suprised if Louis goes to the USA version.

Since when was the UK version ending?

[ASHFORDSTP]

Originally Posted by Diceroll_81

Totally agree, Kelly would be much more suited to the American show. I think her and Demi would make a good team as well.

Kelly should of done the US version in the first place.

[jackel1234]

Originally Posted by xeo

Since when was the UK version ending?

Next year is the end of the contract and it looks very unlikely that it will be brought back

[pingu58011]

I didn`t think she`d stay because half the time you didn`t know she was there. I hope demi stays!!!

[CelticMyth]

The rumours that Tulisa has been poached look increasingly true.

[mimik1uk]

they could just get a cardboard cutout of her and put that behind the desk , it will add as much to the show as she did

[Bjkaave]

Originally Posted by CelticMyth

The rumours that Tulisa has been poached look increasingly true.

Poached? As in, to do the US version?

I mean sorry but BAHAHAHAHA!!!

[LynxSoldier]

And thats the end of TXF USA.

[C14E]

Originally Posted by LW09

With the money they're throwing at it, the way forward is inevitably going to be budget cuts. Even with the new panel, the ratings were still down on last year. With yet another new panel, you can't predict which way it is going to go, so will FOX want to burn yet more money on it if it isn't bringing in the viewers? It still hasn't been a success even now its heading into its third series and has had Britney Spears as a judge. Is X Factor USA ever realistically going to happen?

All it needs to do is perform well for the network it is on. And FOX could only win one night in the fall and that was Wednesdays with X Factor. Tuesdays are a mess - average under 2.0. Mondays average under 2.0. Thursdays were propped up by X Factor but Glee tended to rate lower than X Factor despite a better slot.

Unless FOX have a sudden breakout of multiple hits next autumn (highly unlikely), X Factor just needs to try and maintain some stability and keep towards the front of the pack on the network. Of course, it could dive. They might start fine but end up losing more viewers through baseball disruption. But American Idol won't feature much in the decision (unless FOX were to go for 2 cycles per year of that).

By any normal standard, X Factor is a success. It rates well above the network average and produces a high number of hours at a relatively low average price per hour. The problem is the comparisons to Idol - most shows are failures on that measure! But that's not how any practical business decision regarding X Factor will be made.

Also with X Factor and American Idol airing in such close proximity, X Factor could end up burning American Idol out because they are effectiely the same show. That's my point about its future depending on how American Idol does.

FOX knew that when they bought X Factor. Idol has other problems anyway - its total loss in the demo last year was equivalent to entire audience of some X Factor episodes! And ultimately, it's too late to reverse that. Even if they got rid of X Factor, NBC still have two cycles of The Voice and a new talent show coming up.