Britney Spears felt ‘exploited’ by Diane Sawyer interview about Justin Timberlake breakup
Britney Spears makes her true feelings about her emotional 2003 sit-down with Diane Sawyer known in her upcoming memoir, “The Woman in Me.”
The pop superstar reveals in the highly anticipated book that the interview was a “breaking point” for her amid her breakup from Justin Timberlake, according to an advance copy obtained by the New York Times Thursday.
“I felt like I had been exploited,” the “Overprotected” singer reportedly adds, “set up in front of the whole world.”
Spears also notes, per the Times, that her father, Jamie Spears, and management team allegedly forced her to speak with Sawyer before she was ready to do so.
The interview – in which the “Piece of Me” singer breaks down into tears when speaking about her heartbreak – was scrutinized years after its release when the documentary “Framing Britney Spears” premiered in February 2021.
The docuseries shined a new light on how the media was often very misogynistic and insensitive to the highs and lows of Spears’ career and personal life.
Sawyer was called out because she appeared to push the narrative that the “Oops! I Did It Again” singer was to blame for the breakup amid rumors that the latter cheated on Timberlake.
Spears has since admitted to being unfaithful to the *NSYNC member, but reportedly also reveals in her tell-all that he also stepped out on their relationship.
Without having any confirmation, though, Sawyer pressed at the time, “You broke his heart, you did something that caused him so much pain, so much suffering … what did you do?”
Spears sobbed during one point in the interview and even had to ask her team to pause on filming.
Sawyer, 77, has not released a statement on the backlash. Her reps also did not immediately respond to Page Six’s request for comment.
Spears, meanwhile, has expressed at least one other time that she felt she was mistreated by the renowned journalist.
“Do we dare forget the Diane Sawyer interview in my apartment almost 20 years ago?” the “Toxic” singer, 41, wrote in a since-deleted Instagram post in December 2021.
“What was with the ‘You’re in the wrong’ approach?? Geeze… and making me cry???”
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She added at the time, “My manager put that woman in my home and made me talk to her on national television. She asked if I had a shopping problem!!! When did I have a shopping problem?,” referencing another part of the interview, in which Sawyer highlighted rumors of Spears’ alleged shopping addiction.
The Princess of Pop concluded, “I was a baby… I was almost 22 and didn’t understand, but I f—king do now.”
While Timberlake, 42, has not addressed that specific interview, he has apologized for the role he played in contributing to the tear-down of Spears following their split in 2002.
The “Cry Me a River” singer said via Instagram in February 2021, “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.”
“The Woman in Me,” which also features bombshell revelations about Spears and Timberlake’s decision to get an abortion and has already reached No. 1 on Amazon, will officially be released on Oct. 24.
