After the dramatic exodus of Nicole Scherzinger and Paula Abdul from Simon Cowell’s ‘The X Factor’, Britney Spears might be close to signing a deal to assume a seat on the panel, according to reports. Britney Spears has reportedly been offered $10 million to judge the singing competition, $2 million less than the salary Jennifer Lopez was paid for her American Idol gig. A source says Britney is holding out for $16 million. Britney’s fiance Jason Trawick is handling the negotiations for the deal. During a February 22 press conference, Simon stated that the new judge would be announced in the coming weeks. Janet Jackson and Mariah Carey have also been rumoured to be on the short list of possible replacements. While Carey may still be in the running, Jackson politely declined the invitation, saying she was “very flattered that X Factor let (her) know that (she) was being considered for next season, but it just wouldn’t be possible.” The first round of auditions for ‘The X Factor’ began March 1.
