Britney Spears is about to sign a contract to serve as the next judge on The X-Factor, according to the Hollywood Reporter. The contract could be signed as early as next week. While initial rumors spread that the pop star was interested in joining the show, an insider told the Hollywood Reporter that it was the show’s creator Simon Cowell show approached the star.
So what will Spears bring to the table? According to the article, the superstar will bring legitimacy as a “successful recording artist” (she has sold 33 million albums in the U.S. alone), and drama. According to the article, last year’s show with Nicole Scherzinger and Paula Abdul lacked both unpredictability and drama.
Last month, Cowell could not confirm that talks with Spears had begun. However, he did say that the show was going to have several announcements in the coming weeks.
If the deal is signed, Spears will be joining judges Cowell and Epic Records chairman L.A. Reid. The fourth judge and the two hosts have yet to be announced. Spears is signed by RCA Records, Sony’s record company that also has the music rights to The X-Factor musicians and artists. In preparation for the role, Spears is going through major media training.