Los Angeles, California - Simon Cowell has made a public plea for Britney Spears to return to reality TV – but will she answer the call?

Though the former American Idol judge has gained a reputation for being "mean," he apparently has a soft spot for the 40-year-old pop star.

While speaking with E! on Monday, Cowell reflected on working with Britney on The X Factor USA during its second season.

The 63-year-old host also didn't hold back his admiration for the Circus singer, calling her an "incredibly intelligent force" to have on the realty-competition series.

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"We spent so long on the phone talking about X Factor before we did it," he spilled to the outlet.

"There's a side of Britney a lot of people don't know. I mean, I was on the phone to her two or three hours every time. She was super smart, really lovely ideas about how to launch someone else's career, which is critical if you’re going to be a judge on one of these shows. So I had a fantastic relationship with her."

The British media personality concluded his praise of the Toxic singer, who's been recovering from the trauma of her years-long conservatorship, by making a public plea for Britney to return as a judge on the competition show.

"If you're watching, Britney, and we make a show, please come back and do it with me. It would be amazing. I adore her," he added. "She really is interesting and she's so talented."

While Britney hasn't addressed Cowell's tempting offer, the idea is certainly a great way to help the iconic pop singer further continue her career revival!