Cowell forced to defend new X Factor judge Britney

Simon Cowell was forced to defend Britney Spears just hours after officially confirming he had signed her up as his new US X Factor judge. The Toxic singer faced a barrage of criticism as the new series of the US version of The X Factor was launched, as she appeared for the photo-call with Simon with bleeding bitten finger nails and it was claimed there were lipstick stains on her dress. It was rumoured Britney had insisted that all her lines would be written for her and that she must sit next to Simon on the judging panel before she agreed to sign the £9-million deal to appear on the show. But Simon insisted he was 'not at all' worried about Britney appearing on live television. And an X Factor spokesperson dismissed the claims of her diva-like demands as 'total utter malicious rubbish'. The 30-year-old mother-of-two's financial and personal life is still in the control of her father and her fiance Jason Trawick. Meanwhile, American Idol judge Jennifer Lopez also voiced her concerns for Britney and Simon's other new judge Demi Lovato, who has also spoken of her troubles with fame in the past. J-Lo said: "I feel a little scared for them, because I was scared when I started. It's live TV - there's a lot of pressure that goes with it - but I think they'll do great."

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Patrick McLennan is a London-based journalist and documentary maker who has worked as a writer, sub-editor, digital editor and TV producer in the UK and New Zealand. His CV includes spells as a news producer at the BBC and TVNZ, as well as web editor for Time Inc UK. He has produced TV news and entertainment features on personalities as diverse as Nick Cave, Tom Hardy, Clive James, Jodie Marsh and Kevin Bacon and he co-produced and directed The Ponds, which has screened in UK cinemas, BBC Four and is currently available on Netflix.

An entertainment writer with a diverse taste in TV and film, he lists Seinfeld, The Sopranos, The Chase, The Thick of It and Detectorists among his favourite shows, but steers well clear of most sci-fi.