Britney Spears headed for the hills after a US X Factor contestant dressed in drag and covered one of her songs.

Britney, who is on the show as a judge, watched the contestant attempt to sing her 1999 hit song “Crazy” at auditions for the talent show in Greensboro, North Carolina.

After watching part of the performance, she fled the judges’ table and joined her husband Jason Trawick off stage.

Co-judge Simon Cowell held his head in his hands for the entire act and told the auditioning ‘singer’, “I don’t think she quite understood your tribute. You’ve got to be able to sing in tune. There wasn’t a note in tune.”

After returning to stage, Britney said, “I really respect the tribute. It was really nice, but I just don’t feel like it’s for X Factor. Sorry, sweetie.”