Sixty per cent of British TV viewers tuned in to watch Britney Spears' performance on talent show The X Factor on Saturday night.

Show creator Simon Cowell was thrilled the Spears factor gave his programme a huge boost.

He says, "It's unprecedented... Of any artist I've ever had on any of these shows, there was more buzz, more excitement for this girl.

"It was as if the (U.S.) President was on the show. (She had) the biggest entourage I've ever seen in my life... I love it. If you're gonna be a star, be a star.

"I would literally have her on my show every week for the next 10 years."

And music mogul Cowell got a personal boost out of Spears' visit to his show: "I think she was in awe of me... and I said, 'Look, touch me, I'm human."

Spears performed live on the show as part of a whirlwind European tour.