britney X posed

X FACTOR'S Britney Spears night turned into a bizarre circus, The Sun can reveal.

Show supremo Simon Cowell was BANNED from meeting the star in her room by minders.

And he and judges Cheryl Cole, Louis Walsh and Dannii Minogue were forced to HUDDLE in a corridor to grab a photo with her.

When Britney, 26, performed her single Womanizer on the live talent contest, she MIMED . . . badly.

And she also SNUBBED contestants - by rehearsing in private and later revealing she hadn't even watched them sing her hits.

Snub ... judges huddle with Britney

Ken McKay / Rex Features

Finally, she SCARPERED minutes after Saturday's show and went to London's G.A.Y. club. Britney - in a Rolling Stones T-shirt - failed to sing even though 1,500 fans chanted her name and gave her a cake for her birthday on Tuesday.

Her appearance on Saturday's X Factor helped pull in 12.8million viewers - its highest ever rating.

See more pictures from the
controversial performance:

 

 

 

 

But behind the scenes, her comeback album's title Circus looked particularly appropriate.

Stunned

Special guest Britney refused to use a Winnebago motorhome at the studios in North West London, like other stars. She was given Cowell's green room as a dressing room.

After Saturday's first show, her minders even sealed off the corridor outside. An insider said: "You have never seen so many heavies.

"Even around the judges' dressing rooms was sealed off by Britney's security people. When the judges went to meet her, her security wouldn't let anyone past."

When they finally met, Cowell asked the troubled star if she had seen the five acts perform her songs. Britney replied: "No".

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The insider said: "Everyone was stunned she admitted that she hadn't watched the show. There's a TV in the dressing room.

"Simon tried to have a conversation, but Britney was pretty vacant. In the end he just walked off."

Host Dermot O'Leary was equally baffled when he asked Britney what she thought of the acts.

The singer - who jetted out of Britain last night - answered: "Yes, awesome, thank you.

"Amazing, I met so many different people the place is beautiful."