Spears in at X Factor

SIMON SAYS SPEARS: It's a done deal. According to our sources, Britney Spears has signed on to join Simon Cowell and L.A. Reid on the judges' panel for the upcoming X Factor season. Rumors had abounded months ago that Cowell wanted Britney to help boost the ratings of his series, which were about half of the 20 million viewing audience he had promised. Negotiations supposedly broke down when the pop diva asked for in excess of $10 million. Nonetheless, the final price tag is rumored to be in the $15 million range, while a source has told US Weekly that the impending deal is for $16 million. "No paperwork has actually been signed yet, but they finally came to terms," the source claimed. But a rep for X Factor has refused to confirm the deal, insisting that "nothing has happened and nothing has changed," and claiming that the report is "wildly exaggerated." In any case, it's a lot of dough for someone untested in live TV. (4/12a)