Simon Cowell went through hell, high water, a conservatorship and $15 million to sign Britney Spears on to ‘X Factor.’ As a result, it’s going to take a lot more than the possibility of a meltdown to make him give that cash cow of a judge up!

TMZ cameras caught up with Cowell as he left a dinner date (platonic, mind you!) with fellow new ‘X Factor’ judge Demi Lovato. The polite-yet-aggressive film crew asked Cowell, “Do you think you’re going to get to 20 million viewers?” Cowell gave a sly smile and replied, “I think we’ll get close.”

They then asked, “Are you nervous with Britney being on live TV?” Cowell, ever professional, replied, “Not at all. Wait and see!” The site reports that some people are worried about Spears ongoing mental health issues, considering she’s still under a conservatorship, but she seems happy and excited about gig. TMZ also pointed that Spears is back her bad nail biting habit, a sign that she may be facing some anxiety about the job. Or maybe she just hasn’t had a manicure in a while!

At the Upfronts, Spears was excited about “inspiring the contestants,” telling press, “They’re so young and they’re fulfilling their dreams. It’s just a whole beautiful concept, so being able to be a part of this is really cool.” Aw, Brit!

Watch Simon Cowell Talk About Britney Spears

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