TV producer Simon Cowell said that pop star Britney Spears tried to back out of her $15 million “X Factor” deal on the first day of the production — after she reportedly experienced a panic attack on the set of the show.

According to reports, 52-year-old Simon Cowell — who is also known as one of the talent judge of the reality competition “X Factor” — phoned in to “TMZ Live” and said that his people “half-lied” to the media back in May when they said that Britney Spears only walked off the set because she had to use the bathroom.

“No one is going to admit that on the first day your highest paid star after 20 minutes has walked off set,” Cowell told the media outlet.

Simon Cowell admitted that the pop singer “had a moment on the first day where she said to me ‘I’m not sure I can do this.’”

TMZ reports that the TV personality said he talked Britney Spears back to the show, and that she’s not only loving it now — she also developed into a great judge.

Previous reports have stated that Simon Cowell slammed his rivals at “The Voice,” claiming that the show’s honcho, Mark Burnett, was full of crap when he said that he did not have any idea NBC moved his show to Wednesday night — making it head-to-head with “X Factor.” But Cowell said that he is going to fight back by launching a brand new ad campaign for his singing competition show.

TV personality Simon Cowell is fuming mad at cable network NBC for trying to sandbag the premiere of reality competition show “X Factor” next week by adding a Wednesday installment of “The Voice,” saying “This is a cynical, cold-hearted, unprofessional way of doing business.”

In an interview with media outlet TMZ, Simon Cowell said that he thought he had a “gentleman’s agreement” with NBC that “The Voice” would be running on Mondays and Tuesdays, while “X Factor” would be running on Wednesdays and Thursdays on FOX to give way for fans to watch both singing competition shows.

The former “American Idol” judge said that NBC is turning on its own audience by forcing them to choose between Christina Aguilera’s show and Britney Spears’ new show. And speaking of the two pop stars, Simon Cowell said, “Britney’s not going to appreciate the fact that Christina — who has been a bit of a rival — isn’t allowing Britney to have a night of her own.”

Simon Cowell added that he believes the move is as personal as it gets because “The Voice” came to United Kingdom and went on a head-to-head battle with Simon’s show, “Britain’s Got Talent.”

He went on, saying, “These guys have really got it in for us. It’s nothing short of dirty tricks.”

“The reason they’ve done this is they don’t want people to see ‘X Factor’ because they’ve heard how good the series is. They don’t want their audience to see Britney Spears. They don’t want their audience to see Demi Lovato,” added Simon Cowell.

The TV producer and entrepreneur said he doesn’t think Britney Spears knows the move yet, but when she finds out, “She’s going to be devastated because she’s put her heart and soul into this.”

As for Simon Cowell, he said he is not afraid, adding, “I can’t bear it that the network is playing political games and playing with the audience.”

Harry Styles could have saved Lance Bass so much breathe if the One Direction member had told the former ‘NSYNC member that the $200K Ferrari he drove around Hollywood was a rental car.

TMZ earlier came across Styles, 18, behind the wheels of a sleek black Ferrari. Later that day, the webloid found Bass driving a much humbler ride out of Katsuya in L.A. last night.

Boy band veteran Lance Bass wasn’t pleased to hear that Harry Styles had apparently splurged so much money on “stupid things” like a Ferrari. ”It’s a terrible investment at this stage,” the ‘NSYNC member declared.

“Save your money,” Bass urged Styles and the rest of One Direction. “Save your money!” He then went out of his way to provide a financial plan for the Brit boys.

TMZ reported, however, that Lance Bass could have saved himself trouble. Harry Styles claimed that he didn’t buy the Ferrari; he just rented it.

Styles’ rep informed TMZ that the One Direction member was “a whiz with his money.” Renting the Ferrari for a few hours was a rare treat for Harry, and it only cost him a few hundred dollars.

Discovered by Simon Cowell on ‘X Factor UK,’ One Direction started out in 2011. Harry Styles and his band mates have only released one album so far, but they have proven to be massively popular on both sides of the Atlantic.

One Direction member Niall Horan and ‘X Factor’ judge Demi Lovato are reportedly “besotted” with each other- and Simon Cowell was playing Cupid for them.

Perez Hilton earlier mentioned how the 18-year-old Brit boy band mate was supposedly wooing the 19-year-old ‘Give Your Heart A Break’ singer for quite some time now. The two reportedly even chat on Skype on occasion.

And now Niall Horan had become “very keen” on courting Demi Lovato. Supposedly, Horan sends text messages to Lovato every day.

“Niall is besotted,” said a One Direction source. “He’s very keen,” the source said of Horan, who has “been sending her flowers.”

According to Perez Hilton, Demi Lovato returned Niall’s feelings. “She can’t wait to get to know him properly,” claimed the same 1D source. And supposedly Demi’s chance will come “when he’s finished with the One Direction tour at the beginning of July.”

And if the supposed romance between Niall Horan and Lovato wasn’t cute enough, then the idea of Simon Cowell –whom Demi considers a “grandpa” and who in turn called her “annoying”- playing matchmaker should do the trick.

“Demi’s being spurred on by Simon,” claimed a source, “Who finds the whole thing very amusing.”

According to Perez Hilton, the source also noted that it was a good business decision on the part of Simon Cowell. Cowell reportedly adored the publicity generated for his brain children One Direction and ‘X Factor.’ ”It’s a win-win,” said the source of the romance between Niall Horan and Demi Lovato.

If Demi Lovato and Niall Horan do hook up, Perez Hilton already had two cute portmanteau names for the One Direction member and the ex-Disney star: Diall and DeNiall.

“I wouldn’t put him through,” Britney Spears mischievously tweeted after her fiance Jason Trawick made two game attempts to audition for a spot on ‘X Factor.’

According to E! News, Trawick -who served as a producer on ‘X Factor‘ in addition to managing Spears- was driving his future bride to the San Francisco auditions during the weekend. During the long drive, Jason Trawick took the chance to serenade Spears with a few bars of ‘Sister Christian’ by hard rock band Night Ranger.

His fiancee was amused but unimpressed. “Rode in my 1st @Uber to @TheXFactorUSA auditions in SF today!” Britney Spears tweeted. “Jason auditioned for me,” she added. Her judgment? “I wouldn’t put him through,” Britney laughed.

E! News reported that Jason Trawick begged for a second shot after Britney rejected his take on ‘Sister Christian.’ “Not fair!” Britney Spears quoted her fiance in her next tweet. “Can I please try my second song choice?” Trawick begged. “I promise to show u I have the X Factor,” he vowed.

Jason Trawick then launched into his own special version of ‘Keep on Loving You’ by REO Speedwagon.

That still didn’t do the trick for Britney Spears. She had already asked fans to upload dance videos to Viddy after Trawick’s first attempt. Soon she tweeted out a new plea.

“Still no!” Britney scolded Jason Trawick. “Please send in ur best dance Viddys,” she asked her fans, “So Jason will stop!”

According to a tweet from Simon Cowell, Britney Spears had “grown claws” as an ‘X Factor’ judge. Cowell also took a potshot at his frienemy Demi Lovato by describing her to be “more annoying than ever.”

Simon Cowell reportedly approved the outrageous new pink-tipped hairdo that Demi Lovato donned during the most recent auditions of ‘X Factor.’

According to Perez Hilton, the 19-year-old ‘Skyscraper’ singer was not satisfied with merely lightening her long locks of naturally brunette hair. So Demi chose to dye their tips a hot pink so that they would really stand out during ‘X Factor’ shoots.

Demi debuted her daring new hairdo during Sunday’s round of auditions in San Francisco. And if the former Disney star was to be believed, then her frienemy Simon Cowell loved her trendy tresses.

“Yay!!” Demi Lovato tweeted last Saturday. “Simon approves of my pink hair!!” She attached a picture of her fellow ‘X Factor’ judge flashing her a thumbs-up as proof of Simon’s approval.

Lovato and Simon Cowell have been bantering outrageously on set. The younger judge had been teasing Simon nonstop about his age. In return, Simon called Demi Lovato a “brat” and mock-declared that he would name a pet dog after her a la Paula Abdul. That prompted Demi to promise to do the same for him, only she wanted to name a pig after him.

Not to be left out on the fun, Demi’s 10-year-old kid sister, Madison De La Garza, demanded some credit for allegedly inspiring the hot new look of her ‘X Factor’ judge sister.

“For the record,”  Madison tweeted, “@ddlovato copied my hair. I did it first,” she claimed before adding, “But, you know, blue #ilovemysister”

Demi Lovato then showed what a nice big sister she was by retweeting Madison’s claim.

Simon Cowell may be worried about Britney Spears, but he reportedly had no problem with Demi Lovato- save, that is, keeping up with the latest smart-aleck taunt from the ‘Skyscraper’ singer on ‘X Factor.’

According to Perez Hilton, Cowell and Lovato have been enjoying trading quips during recent auditions. ”Demi and Simon are always winding each other up,” a ‘X Factor’ insider claimed. And it so happened that Simon Cowell reportedly “loves it when people give as good as they get – and Demi really does!”

The source said that Cowell “started off accusing her of being ‘annoying’ and talking too much.” He reportedly created a Frankenstein’s monster of sorts: “Now she’s a brat!” the source said of Demi Lovato.

Perez Hilton brought up the example of the most recent auditions in Oakland. Simon Cowell was reportedly getting annoyed at Demi Lovato for giving long-winded responses to hopeful ‘X Factor‘ contestants. He kept telling her to keep her answers short, like a simple “yes” or “no.”

The 19-year-old Lovato responded by pretending to apologize to the audience. ”Sorry, everyone,” Demi said of Simon Cowell, “He hasn’t had his coffee this morning. He’s in a bad mood,” she explained, and added that “Old people need their coffee.”

Simon, 52, let out a laugh before responding that Demi Lovato was “a brat” and ordering  her to be quiet.

Lovato refused to stay quiet, of course. Not when Simon Cowell later declared on ‘X Factor’ that he would name a hypothetical dog after Demi- in much the same manner like how Cowell previously described Paula Abdul, whom he reportedly fancied.

“If I had a pig,” Demi Lovato claimed, “I’d name it Simon…” She then defended her choice of name with a “What, I love pigs!”

Simon Cowell and Britney Spears received a surprise Father’s Day guest on the ‘X Factor’: KISS bass player Gene Simmons.

TMZ reported that Simmons ‘ daughter, 19-year-old Sophie Simmons, showed up at the reality show’s San Francisco auditions this Sunday. She told Cowell, Spears, and company that she wanted a “fair shot” on the show.

“This isn’t about my dad,” Sophie declared to the ‘X Factor’ judges. “This is about my audition.”

In fact, Gene Simmons almost didn’t make it to his daughter’s auditions. TMZ sources said that Sophie Simmons placed a surprise call to her rocker dad the night before. His daughter by longtime partner Shannon Tweed reportedly told Gene that she couldn’t come home and see him for Father’s Day because she planned to take a shot at the ‘X Factor.’

According to TMZ, Gene Simmons proved to be a devoted dad by immediately hopping onto a private jet and flying straightaway to San Francisco. The KISS front man made it just in time to witness Sophie Simmons performing on the stage.

There have been growing rumors that Simon Cowell was having second thoughts about hiring Britney Spears as a judge on ‘X Factor.’

Inside sources supposedly informed Perez Hilton that Cowell -currently sick with bronchitis- had been diligently monitoring the show’s progress from his sickbed. And he was reportedly not happy with Britney Spears walking out of filming.

“It’s embarrassing to have an empty seat on the panel in filming sessions,” claimed one of those ‘X Factor’ insiders, “As the footage is almost totally wasted.”

According to the Perez Hilton source, “If a great singer appears, and producers want to use the audition,” then it fell upon the host and other judges to explain to viewers why Britney was absent.  ”That’s not easy,” the show insider said.

Britney Spears had twice walked off the set of ‘X Factor.’ The first time she did so was during her debut as a judge in the show’s auditions at Austin, Texas. She did not return for the last four contestants. Simon Cowell later explained that judges were allowed to take breaks in between auditions and weren’t required to immediately return.

The second walkout took place during the Kansas City auditions. And Britney Spears wasn’t alone. Demi Lovato, L.A. Reid, and Louis Walsh (substituting for the sick Simon Cowell) joined her after a rude contestant turned his back on them while singing awfully.

Spears, however, was the only ‘X Factor’ judge who didn’t return to the table after the obnoxious applicant -who was described as having a “bad attitutude”- got dismissed.

Britney Spears received a $15 million paycheck to serve as a judge on the US edition of ‘X Factor’ alongside Simon Cowell, Demi Lovato, and L.A. Reid. According to numerous reports, the pop princess was recently diagnosed with a form of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder but was unable to take medication for it, which supposedly accounts for her erratic behavior.

A sick Simon Cowell missed out on the spectacle of Britney Spears walking out on Saturday’s Kansas City auditions for ‘X Factor’- along with her fellow judges Demi Lovato, L.A. Reid, and Simon’s substitute Louis Walsh.

According to E! News, the four judges had grown increasingly disenchanted with the hopefuls from Kansas City. They finally had their fill of it when a contestant rudely refused to look at any of them during his performance.

According to E! News sources, the contestant ignored Britney Spears, Demi Lovato, L. A. Reid, and Louis Walsh by singing toward the back of the stage. The ’X Factor’  foursome gave him a taste of his own medicine (and took a leaf out of Britney’s book) by taking to their feet and walking out of his performance, which was midway into the audition.

“It was really awkward,” an audience member told People magazine about the judges’ mass walk-out. “You could tell the judges were done. I don’t think they had a choice,” the audience member added. “They didn’t want to waste their time.”

Another source described the ‘X Factor’ contestant to be “one of the worst singers and had a bad attitude.” According to this source, Britney Spears and her fellow judges “all hated it and walked off.”

E! News reported that since the offensive contestant presented his backside to the ‘X Factor’ judges, he failed to realize that the judges had already walked out on him. In fact, the contestant continued to sing long after the judges’ seats cooled.

Demi Lovato, L.A. Reid, and Louis Walsh returned to their seats to finish the auditions.  Spears, however, was prominently absent, which prompted the crowd to shout for her return.

Britney Spears had earlier received criticism for supposedly stomping off the set during her very first day as a judge on ‘X Factor.’