Simon Cowell has told British newspapers that he would welcome fading pop star, Britney Spears onto American Idol, but only as a contestant.

Spears was supposed to perform on a previous series of the show but dropped out after Cowell insisted she perform live.

Simon told the Daily Star: “Sure, she can come on American Idol – as a contestant. Although if it’s anything like her disastrous return at the MTV Video Music Awards, I wouldn’t put her through to the second round.

He added: “She should have been pulled off the bill that night to save any chance she had of resurrecting her career.”