Britney Spears did not plan “to offend anyone” with the release of her memoir, The Woman in Me, as new revelations continue to come to light.
“My book’s purpose was not to offend anyone by any means,” Spears, 41, wrote via Instagram on Friday, October 20. “That was me then … that is in the past!!!”
The Grammy winner noted that most of the book’s stories were “from 20 years ago” and she has “moved on” since then.
“It’s a beautiful clean slate from here!!!” she added on Friday. “I am here to establish it that way for the rest of my entire life!!! Either way, that is the last of it and s–t happens. This is actually a book I didn’t know needed to be written, although some might be offended, it has given me closure on all things for a better future.”
The Woman in Me hits bookstore shelves on Tuesday, October 24, but Us Weekly has confirmed that Spears recalls moments from her career, conservatorship battle and her three-year romance with Justin Timberlake.
A source exclusively told Us Weekly earlier this month that Timberlake, 42, was “not going to be happy” with its contents, hinting that Spears went “after him hard.” Meanwhile, a second insider noted that it was “not Britney’s intention to skewer anyone” as she merely wanted “to relay the facts from her perspective.”
Days later, the first bombshell involving Timberlake surfaced, as Spears revealed in an excerpt published by People that she had an abortion while dating him. “Justin definitely wasn’t happy about the pregnancy,” she wrote. “He said we weren’t ready to have a baby in our lives, that we were way too young.”
Spears explained that she decided to terminate the pregnancy because Timberlake was not ready to become a parent.
“I’m sure people will hate me for this, but I agreed not to have the baby,” she elaborated. “I don’t know if that was the right decision. If it had been left up to me alone, I never would have done it. And yet Justin was so sure that he didn’t want to be a father.”
Timberlake has not publicly addressed her book claims, though a third insider told Us that he is “trying to distance himself” from the tell-all.
Spears and Timberlake dated from 1999 to 2002 after meeting on the set of The Mickey Mouse Club. Spears claims in her memoir that they split over infidelity on both sides. Following their split, she went on to welcome sons Sean Preston, 18, and Jayden, 17, with Kevin Federline, whom she was married to from 2004 to 2007. Timberlake, for his part, shares sons Silas, 8, and Phineas, 3, with wife Jessica Biel, whom he wed in October 2012.
Timberlake previously came under fire in 2021 upon the release of the Framing Britney Spears documentary, which dredged up his role in the negative narrative that surrounded Spears after their breakup. He ultimately apologized to Spears amid the backlash.
“I am deeply sorry for the times in my life where my actions contributed to the problem, where I spoke out of turn, or did not speak up for what was right,” he wrote via Instagram in February 2021. “The industry is flawed. It sets men, especially white men, up for success. It’s designed this way.”
Timberlake directly addressed the ways he “failed” Spears at the time, acknowledging his “respect” for her now.
“As a man in a privileged position I have to be vocal about this. Because of my ignorance, I didn’t recognize it for all that it was while it was happening in my own life but I do not want to ever benefit from others being pulled down again,” he continued. “I can do better and I will do better.”
Despite the controversy, a source told Us at the time that Spears “does not hold a grudge” against Timberlake. “She feels that they were young and in love and both did stupid things when they were together,” the insider said. “She was heartbroken when they separated, but it’s not something she dwells on now.”
Spears reiterated on Friday that her “motive” in telling her story is to “enlighten people who feel particularly alone” in similar situations, instead of harping on her past. “I have moved on since then,” she concluded.
