It's Britney, baby, one more time.
Despite her trainwreck performance at the MTV Video Music Awards
last year, the network confirms the US performer will open the show
once again.
But it won't be a performance. Instead, MTV Networks Music Group
President Van Toffler said it will be something "fun and
unexpected" on Sunday night (US time).
Unexpected is probably the kindest way to describe Spears'
performance at last year's VMAs.
In what was heavily promoted as the troubled singer's comeback,
she instead gave an unfocused, almost unwatchable performance of
Gimme More, one of the many low points in her year of
debacles.
So what made Spears and MTV reunite one more time?
"MTV has long played an important role in my career. How can I
not be there to kick off their 25th VMAs? I'm excited to open the
entire show, to say 'hi' to my fans and to be nominated," Spears
said in a statement.
Toffler noted that Spears was nominated for three VMAs,
including video of the year, for her clip, Piece of
Me.
"I think for Britney, people are rooting for her, and she's
really on the road to recovery," Toffler said. "It's our 25th
anniversary of the VMAs, and she's been such a critical piece of
MTV's history."
Spears also equals ratings gold: Last year's VMAs were up 23 per
cent over the 2006 show.
In recent months, Spears, who is working on a new album, has
appeared to have cleaned up her act. Her father James has been in
control of her personal and professional matters as her legal
conservator, and she drew high ratings and positive reviews when
she made guest appearances on CBS' How I Met Your Mother
earlier this year.
So far, the confirmed performers for Sunday's show include the
Jonas Brothers, Lil Wayne, Rihanna, T.I. and Kid Rock.
Toffler also raised the possibility of another troubled pop icon
appearing: Michael Jackson.
"We've been talking to him as well, I don't know if that's going
to happen," he said. "People fall in and fall out up until the day
of the show."
In other news ahead of the awards, Kanye West has confirmed he'll be closing the night, a year after announcing he would never perform at the event again.
The disgruntled rapper stormed off from the 2007 ceremony, claiming he had been mistreated by organisers and swearing he'd never return.
West, who left without an award, also accused the music cable network bosses of exploiting Britney Spears, whose terrible performance stole the show.
But the rap star was present at a pre-awards photo conference in Los Angeles on Thursday, where he joined fellow performers T.I. and Christina Aguilera and show host Russell Brand.
The VMAs at Paramount Pictures will also mark Aguilera's first televised performance since becoming a mum in January.
-AP/SMH/WENN