Britney Spears recalls her horrific backstage altercation with ex Justin Timberlake at the 2007 MTV VMAs – just before she sparked global concern with a sloppy performance of Gimme More.
The 41-year-old pop icon, who split acrimoniously from Timberlake, 42, in 2002 amid cheating allegations, said she was hurt by the encounter as the SexyBack hitmaker was “at his best” while she was “having a panic attack ” had.
She writes in her new book “The Woman In Me”: “It had been a while since I had seen him.” Everything was going great in his world.
“He was at the top of his game in every way and had a lot of self-confidence.” I had a panic attack. I hadn’t rehearsed enough. I hated the way I looked. I knew it was going to be bad.’
Timberlake won awards including Artist of the Year and performed that night with Timbaland and Nelly Furtado, with Spears writing: “Justin glided down the runway.” “He flirted with the girls in the audience, including one , who turned around, arched her back, and shook her breasts while he sang to her.”
Embarrassing: Britney Spears recalls her horrific backstage encounter with her ex Justin Timberlake at the 2007 MTV VMAs – just before she sparked global concern with a sloppy performance of Gimme More
Following the performance of “Gimme More,” in which the disoriented star mimed sloppily and appeared to forget the dance moves, Spears’ mental health came under intense scrutiny again
After taking the stage in only her underwear and extremely visible hair extensions after shaving her head months earlier, the singer’s big comeback came to an abrupt end.
The performance shocked fans and was met with widespread criticism from audiences and critics.
She wrote of the moment: “There was a problem with my costume and my hair extensions.” I hadn’t slept the night before. I was dizzy. It hadn’t even been a year since I had my second child in two years, but everyone was acting like it was insulting that I didn’t have six pack abs.
“I couldn’t believe I had to go on stage with the same feelings.
“I went out there and did my best in that moment, which – yes, admittedly – was far from my best at other times.” I could see myself on video throughout the room during my performance; It was like looking at myself in an amusement park mirror.’
When Britney began dating wholesome NSYNC star Timberlake in 1999, fans around the world saw them as America’s golden couple.
Britney shocked the world when she revealed she became pregnant by Timberlake in 2000 when the singer had an abortion because the N*Sync star “didn’t want to be a father.”
Concern: She writes in her new memoir, The Woman In Me, “It had been a while since I had seen him.” Everything was going great in his world. He was at the top of his game in every respect and had a lot of self-confidence. I had a panic attack. I hadn’t rehearsed enough’
As They Were: When Britney started dating wholesome NSYNC star Justin Timberlake in 1999, fans around the world saw them as America’s golden couple (pictured in 2002).
The Toxic hitmaker described the “torturous” decision to terminate the pregnancy in her memoir The Woman In Me – after becoming pregnant in late 2000 when the couple were both 19, can confirm.
The star claimed that while she wanted the baby and “dreamed of a family with Timberlake,” he was “not ready” for the responsibilities of parenthood and thought the couple was too young.
She writes: “It was a surprise, but for me it wasn’t a tragedy.” I loved Justin so much. I always expected that one day we would start a family together. This was just going to happen a lot sooner than I expected.
“He said we weren’t ready to have a baby in our lives, we were way too young. “I’m sure people will hate me for this, but I agreed not to have the baby.
“I don’t know if that was the right decision. If it had been left to me alone, I would never have done it. And yet Justin was so sure he didn’t want to be a father.’
The star said in his memoir that the abortion was “one of the most excruciating things I have ever experienced in my life.”
Timberlake’s breakup message to Spears was recently revealed by her former video director Chris Applebaum after she revealed via text message that he had left her.
Chris, now 53, who has also worked with Rihanna, Miley Cyrus and Demi Lovato, described the moment Justin broke up with the 41-year-old pop star.
Celebration: Timberlake won awards including Artist of the Year and performed with Timbaland and Nelly Furtado that night, with Spears writing: “Justin glided down the runway.” He flirted with girls in the audience (pictured in 2007)
He revealed how he was working with Britney on the set of a music video when she received a two-word text message from Justin saying: “It’s over.”
Chris shared how Britney and her team worked on the video for Overprotected (Darkchild Remix) during a grueling 24-hour day of filming.
In April 2022, Chris posted a picture with Britney on set where he reflected on the story behind the snap, namely Britney and Justin’s breakup.
He wrote: “This was recorded on the second day of filming for their Overprotected (Darkchild Remix) video, he wrote.” It was a (planned) 24 hour filming day and we had a crew leave after 12 hours and a new one, who came in.
“At some point during the second shift, Brit disappeared and I went to her trailer to pick her up… only to find that her boyfriend Justin had just broken up with her via text message. (I would like to recommend to everyone reading this: Don’t break up via text!)
“We sat on the floor of their trailer for a minute, discussed it and then gathered together.” He teased that it was “just one of the stories from the shoot…”
Chris recently spoke to Page Six about the post and shared more details about the news and Britney’s reaction.
He told the publication that when he entered her trailer, she showed her the phone and said, “I can’t believe it.” Check it out. That happened.’
According to Chris, the message simply said, “It’s over.”
Chris revealed how he changed Britney’s mind about stopping work for the day, explaining: “If you don’t have it in you, I totally understand…”
“But if you want to go out and finish that final setup in the rain, you can show him that he just made the biggest damn mistake of his life.”
Britney said she was devastated after Justin bedded “six or seven girls” in the weeks following their split.
This came after Britney finally admitted to cheating on the NSYNC member with dancer Wade Robson after years of hearsay.
Rumor has it that Britney and Justin split up in 2002 after three years of dating because she had an affair with Australian choreographer Wade.
Justin later released his famous single “Cry Me A River,” whose lyrics allude to being cheated on.
Britney said of the choreographer on “Good Morning America” in 2000: “He’s like a prodigy, seriously… He’s a genius. ‘He’s great.’
But their relationship was short-lived and Britney and Wade had separated within a year.
Shock: Britney shocked the world in 2023 when she revealed she had become pregnant by Timberlake in 2000 and the singer had an abortion because the N*Sync star ‘didn’t want to be a father’ (pictured in 2002)
Months after her VMAs performance in January 2008, Spears was hospitalized at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center after police arrived at her home – after she locked herself in a bathroom with her sons and refused to hand them over to Federline – noticed that she appeared to be under drug influence.
Federline was granted sole custody and legal custody and Spears was involuntarily committed to the 5150 Psychiatric Detention Center and admitted to the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center Psychiatric Unit.
In July 2008, Spears regained visitation rights with her sons and returned to the spotlight with a documentary and television appearances.
Over the years, she occasionally shared snapshots of herself with the boys—beaming at the camera at a baseball game, celebrating birthday dinners, or splashing in the swimming pool—suggesting that a tender bond had formed between mother and sons.
But according to reports, Federline was awarded 70 percent custody in 2019.
Kevin now has sole custody of the two sons and recently made the decision to move the family from Los Angeles to Hawaii.