Celebrity Stats

Simon Cowell has urged Britney Spears to "go home to her mother".

The music mogul predicted the troubled singer's fall from grace months ago - after she shaved her head, checked in and out of rehab and became embroiled in a bitter custody battle with ex-husband Kevin Federline - and would have advised her to stay away from her "stupid friends" if he was her manager.

He said: "From where I sit, you could see it coming a long time ago. I said six months ago that she should go home.

"I'd have said, 'Stay with your mother, don't go out with your stupid friends, just live normally.' You'd be amazed - you live normally and suddenly everything becomes normal."

Simon, 48, also would have whisked Britney - who was hospitalised last week after refusing to hand back her children to Kevin - away from the public glare to help get her life back together.

Speaking on holiday in Barbados, he added to Britain's The Sun newspaper: "I would have taken her away somewhere quiet for six months. The problem with Britney is that I don't think there's anyone in her life that she listens to."

The 'X Factor' judge believes the pop star's problems need to be put into perspective when you consider the plight of others in the world.

He said: "I feel bad for Britney. But then I see the real world where people are struggling and you have to temper that with, 'Stop being stupid, go home. Life isn't that bad.' "