Former duet partner comes out to Britney Spears at X Factor auditions

Britney Spears had an emotional encounter with a former duet partner while auditioning wannabes for TV talent show X FACTOR on Sunday.

The superstar judge clearly recognised Don Phillips when he hit the stage for a spot on the show during try-outs in San Francisco, California - he featured on the duet I Will Still Love You from the pop star's debut album …Baby One More Time.

The struggling singer's audition didn't go well, but it capped a big moment for Spears - when her former song partner came out to her as a gay man.

A set source tells blogger Perez Hilton, "You could see that Britney recognised him straight away. She got this huge smile on her face and her eyes lit up. It was so sweet. When he started crying and saying he thought he'd never see her again and that he'd had a lot to deal with, Britney was comforting him to calm him.

"She's been through a lot in those 10 years, too, so it must have been a shock for her to see him. You could tell she was emotional and she really felt for him especially when he was crying, but she also stayed calm.

"She handled it unbelievably well and really stepped up to the situation."

Spears recently joined Demi Lovato on the show as replacements for judges Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger.