Britney Spears Set to Quit U.S. for English Countryside — With Help From One of World's Biggest Brit Music Moguls

Britney Spears is plotting a dramatic retreat from the United States, with sources telling OK! the pop star is laying plans to rebuild her life in the English countryside after quietly reconnecting with music mogul Simon Cowell.

After a turbulent year marked by intense public scrutiny, Spears, 44, is understood to be seeking a clean break from Los Angeles and the family dynamics she associates with her controversial conservatorship.

Insiders tell us she has grown increasingly serious about relocating to the U.K., drawn by the promise of privacy and calm far from Hollywood.

Cowell, who worked with Spears during her time as an X Factor judge in 2012, is described as playing a supportive behind-the-scenes role in her thinking.

One source familiar with Spears' plans said her "growing desire" to quit the U.S. is deeply personal.

"She has a deep sense of being boxed in by her history in America, where she is constantly mocked for everything from her raunchy Instagram posts to her supposed 'wacky' personality. Her homeland also bears huge memories of trauma after she was hounded for years by the media there. From her perspective, too many people still define her by the scars she endured rather than recognizing the person she is trying to become now."

The source added Britain represents emotional distance as much as a geographical shift for Spears.

They said: "What she is craving is a calmer environment where she can slow down, feel some peace and rebuild her life without being endlessly confronted by memories and narratives she is desperate to leave behind."

Cowell's reappearance in her life is said to have come at a sensitive moment.

The 66-year-old is understood to have reached out to her at the end of the year amid concerns that Spears was struggling again, offering reassurance rather than professional advice.

According to one insider, Spears responded warmly and soon began asking practical questions.

"She reached out to Simon and asked him, very directly, what day-to-day life is actually like away from the city spotlight," the source said. "Their conversations quickly turned to rural living and the appeal of a quieter, more measured pace."

The focus of those conversations is understood to be the Cotswolds, where Cowell bought a home in 2021.

"Simon spoke very positively about his own move and described it as one of the smartest choices he has made," our source added. "Britney places a lot of trust in his advice because he knows firsthand what it means to live under intense global scrutiny, and he has discreetly been guiding her toward finding a private, tucked-away place that mirrors the refuge he created for himself."

The insider also said Spears finds reassurance in knowing she would not be isolated if she moved to Britain.

They added: "There is a real sense of reassurance for her in knowing she would not be entirely alone. The thought of having someone close by who genuinely understands the pressures and extremes of her life brings her a feeling of safety and support."

The move would mark another turning point for Spears as she continues to rebuild relationships with her sons, Sean Preston, 19, and Jayden James, 18, whom she shares with her ex-husband Kevin Federline.

It would also follow her divorce from fitness trainer Sam Asghari, 31, in 2023, after two years of marriage. Friends say the end of that relationship has sharpened the "Toxic" singer's desire for a different future.

Those close to Spears also say her hopes extend way beyond a house move.

"She has grown weary of relationships shaped by the Hollywood bubble and everything that comes with it," a source said. "What she wants now is someone down-to-earth, who isn't dazzled by celebrity and who can accept her without filtering everything through her history."

The source also said Spears has quipped about finding a new romance abroad.

They added: "She jokes that the person she is meant to end up with is likely somewhere in a small English pub, quietly enjoying a pint and having no idea that he will be on her radar."

Spears has previously spoken fondly of Britain, once saying England was among her favorite places. Friends say that affection endures.

"She has long felt a sense of warmth and acceptance in the U.K.," one pal added. "After all she has been through, she genuinely believes that settling into a quieter life in the English countryside could offer the calm and healing she has been searching for. While no move has been confirmed, those around Spears say the intention feels more concrete than before."

"This has moved far beyond idle daydreaming," a source said. "For Britney, it now feels like a tangible opportunity to recover, reset and start a new chapter shaped by her own choices."