Britney Spears Quits X-Factor: Songstress Busy with New Music, Won't Return for Season 3, Simon Cowell 'Never Wanted Her Back'

Reports confirm that pop songstress Britney Spears will not be returning as a judge for the hit singing competition show "X-Factor" in its third season. Apparently 31-year-old Spears decided to quit because she is currently recording a new album and plans on touring soon... therefore she is much too busy to continue her stint on the "X-Factor." While Spears insists she loved working alongside fellow judges Simon Cowell, Demi Lovato, and L.A. Reid, rumors have it that the feelings weren't mutual... allegedly Cowell didn't even want Spears to return for the new season. Good thing she quit, because it looks like the "Toxic" starlet wouldn't have been invited back anyway!

Several gossip outlets have confirmed the news that Spears is quitting the "X-Factor" after only appearing on one season - an inside source told People, "She has made the decision that she won't be returning... She wants to concentrate on her music." 

Indeed, on Monday (Jan. 7) the songstress tweeted:

@britneyspears: "I'm seeing so much chatter about new music out there. Glad to see you're all paying attention ;) Lot of work to do in 2013! LETS GO!"

Spears is currently "working hard" on her eighth studio album... an inside source recently told TMZ, "Britney loves Simon, she likes Demi Lovato, but her thing is music" (no mention of Reid because he also plans on leaving the "X-Factor" to pursue his own recording endeavors).

But even before Spears announced her "X-Factor" resignation, rumors were swirling that Cowell never considered bringing her back as a judge for season three anyway!

"Simon [Cowell] and the producers have already been discussing this year's new judging lineup over the holiday, and they have a plan for who they would like already, but Britney has never played a part in those discussions," a source revealed to Yahoo! Music. "The reality is that toward the end of last season, the main players at the production companies knew they wanted to replace her. She was always a gamble, and a second season always seemed unlikely. She and her team knew it was unlikely that she'd be asked back."

Spears' debut on the "X-Factor" was received with mixed reactions - according to one People's TV critic, "She brought plenty of charm yet lacked the rejuvenating presence that Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez earlier brought to American Idol."

Despite the fact that Cowell and several fans didn't approve of Spears' judging mentality, Fox's Chairman of Entertainment Kevin Reilly actually complimented the pop princess' "X-Factor" stint at a press conference on Tuesday, Jan. 8:

"I actually thought it went very, very well... It was fraught with unknowns, and I think Britney did a really good job. She came on, people remain fascinated with her and always will be. She's just an interesting figure who's lived a unique life, and I thought she brought some of that."

Whether she quit or was denied a returning judge's seat, as-of-now it looks like Spears will not be apart of the "X-Factor" season three. That now leaves two open spots... which stars would Mstarz fans like to see join the "X-Factor" judge's table?