Singer Britney Spears and boyfriend her Jason Trawick arrive at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards in Los Angeles in this August 28, 2011 file photo. Spears on January 11, 2013 called it quits with both Trawick and as a celebrity judge on "The X Factor" talent show. [Photo/Agencies]

The exit of Spears leaves "X Factor" creator Simon Cowell searching for two new judges to lift his show past its NBC rival, "The Voice," in the ratings when it returns in September.

Judge and record producer L.A. Reid announced in December that he would be returning full time to his job as the head of Epic Records.

Spears took "The X Factor" gig with singer Demi Lovato, 20, in May 2012 to fill the judges' seats left by Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger, who were both fired by Cowell a year ago.