Louis Walsh has opened up about working with Britney Spears on ‘The X Factor USA’.
The music manager filled in for Simon Cowell during the audition stage of the talent contest’s second season, which also featured L.A. Reid and Demi Lovato on the panel.
Speaking of his experience during taping in Kansas City, he told The Independent: “I was sitting with Britney for two days and after every few auditions she would [slump down in her chair].
“They would literally have to stop the show and take her out because she was on so much medication and other stuff. I felt sorry for her.
“Here she was, the biggest pop star on the planet, and she was just sitting there physically, but she wasn’t there mentally. She had a lot of problems.”
Louis went on to admit “you have to pay a price to become famous,” reflecting: “I sat back and watched all these people I know with all this money and all this fame and they are not really happy.
“I don’t hear them laughing.”
He continued: “This is what happens. We can’t blame the music industry. They probably wanted to be famous and they get it all and then they are still not happy.
fun fact: i was in the audience for one of the shows (the one with Louis, pictured below) and this was true. the show was 4+ hours long and britney was only there for *maybe* 30% of it. her team kept escorting her out and most singers auditioned for only 3 judges. https://t.co/1ZfQRBkqgg
— jay 🌹 (@bravenewbussy) June 13, 2021
“It isn’t what they thought it was. I think there is an emptiness there with an awful lot of people. They get the trappings but it doesn’t make them happy.”
Insisting it’s “not a nice business,” Louis went on to admit he can understand why she signed up for the gig despite apparently being in a bad place.
“She was getting millions of dollars to do it, so why the f**k wouldn’t she sit there,” he quipped.
His comments were backed up by fans on social media, who recalled the Toxic singer, who’s currently in the midst of legal proceedings surrounding her controversial conservatorship arrangement, being absent from filming.
One user recalled: “fun fact: i was in the audience for one of the shows (the one with Louis, pictured below) and this was true.
“the show was 4+ hours long and britney was only there for *maybe* 30% of it. her team kept escorting her out and most singers auditioned for only 3 judges.”
