For Britney, It Looks Like 'X' Marks The Spot

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Britney Spears is coming to the rescue of Fox's "The X Factor," the singing contest in search of a ratings boost.

A person familiar with the situation said the Grammy-winning pop star has signed on as a judge for the TV show's second year. The person was not authorized to publicly discuss details and spoke Thursday on condition of anonymity.

"The X Factor" debuted last fall to ratings that fell short of creator Simon Cowell's sky-high predictions. The show's slate was wiped nearly clean in January when judges Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger exited along with host Steve Jones.

That left Cowell and producer Antonio "L.A." Reid as judges.

Fox declined to comment on Spears or any other cast additions for "The X Factor."

(© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)