For anyone wondering whether pop singer Britney Spears might soon return to primetime television, the answer Monday from CBS could be summed up in four words: "Baby...One More Time."
Weeks after she drew glowing reviews and strong ratings as a guest star on the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother, Spears will return to the show on May 12 to reprise her role as a sassy office assistant named Abby.
A network spokeswoman said the episode would be shot sometime this week in LA.
In her March 24 debut on the series, Spears' character fell for the show's leading man, Ted, played by Josh Radnor, only to end up angry at Ted when he started dating her boss.
In her return appearance, Abby tries to get even with Ted by pairing up with his estranged pal, Barney (former Doogie Howser, M.D. star Neil Patrick Harris), who "pops a surprising question to Abby," according to a CBS synopsis of the plot.
Spears' first appearance on the show last month drew 10.6 million viewers, up sharply from the show's season-to-date average audience of 8.1 million.
The mostly positive reviews also gave the performer a rare burst of upbeat headlines amid a torrent of highly publicized personal problems in recent years.
Spears, 26, rose to fame as a teen star with a series of chart-topping singles, starting with "Baby...One More Time." By 2002, she was named the world's top celebrity by Forbes magazine after earning $39.2 million in a single year.
But her fortunes turned following the breakup of her marriage to Kevin Federline in late 2006. She passed in and out of rehab, lost custody of her two young sons, and was hospitalized twice for psychiatric evaluation.
In recent months, however, Spears' life seemed to be back on the upswing under the guardianship of her father and a reconciliation with longtime manager Larry Rudolph. Her appearance last month on How I Met Your Mother sparked speculation that Spears might branch out further into acting, following a successful guest turn in March 2006 on the NBC comedy Will & Grace.
Comments (18)
I am 54 years old, and it's been literally decades since I've followed the pop scene with any degree of regularity. I haven't followed Brittany Spear's carreer at all over the years. But during the past couple of years, it's been virtually impossible not to learn something about Brittany's life and troubles, as every time you turn around there is a headline or a comentary on radio or T.V. screaming about Ms Spears and her current situation. A couple of days ago, I downloaded some of Brittany's music videos and watched them to see for myself what all the yelling was about. I think I can objectively say that Ms Spears is an extremely talented and polished performer and the years she's spent applying herself to her craft really show in those videos. And she's still in her twenties. Before anyone decides to become too critical of her, take a minute, if you will, to walk a mile in her shoes,or her pumps as the case may be. The pressures on Ms Spears in the course of her daily life must be enormous. Imagine not even being able to walk down to the corner store for a snack and a coffee without some vampire with a camera, or an entire pack of them getting all in your face. The night after watching those videos, I had the strangest dream. I dreamed I was Brittany's father. She came running up to me with tears in her eyes and sobbing; "Daddy...daddy they won't stop Bleeping with me! They won't stop Bleeping with me!! Why won't they leave me the bleep alone?" And I held her close and patted her gently on the head and said; "There, there...there, there. Who's the girl? Who's daddy's wittle snuggy-wuggums? Who's the girl?"and then I woke up. The point of my rambling at this point is this; whatever else Brittany is, whatever else she's done she's a human being. And with a list of accomplishments in her relatively short life that makes most of the rest of us look like pikers. If I personally had to put up with even a fraction of what Ms. Spears has to put up with on a daily basis, by the end of the week I'd be duct-taped to the walls in a rubber room somwhere, trying to bite the foam out of the padding. For anybody out there who's criticizm of Ms. Spears springs from basic envy, just remember the old proverb; be carefull what you wish for, you might get it.moreless
Mad_Buck !!! what the hell, Its the best show ever you should try it sometime you,ll be suprised by the level of detailed connection between past and future in the show.
Everyone needs second chances, or third or 29th... Doesn't matter! I don't listen to her either(but we all know we all did a while ago) but just because you don't like her music or her lifestyle, doesn't mean she deserves nothing!I didn't like her voice tone in the HIMYM, however "don't yell at me sir" act was really good.Her own song "Lucky" fits best to her I guess, she had lots to handle.. Good luck in your new life Britney, make it worth it!
She looks more cute than before ,is it because of her new relationship?few days earlier,i come across a news that said she is meeting a wealthy man on the dating site which i remember called (MillMatch......com) i wonder whether it is true
I'm glad I never watched this show. Pitiful.
ok...
I'm so glad. I bought seasons 1 and 2 just because i heard she was going to appear the show. Now i'm so glad i did. it's amazing. so glad that she will appear twice in season 3.
Never watched this show; now I won't for sure.
bah. ruin a series just to save a pop star.
hope it help her
I hope at least CBS renew HIMYM!
Britney's fine on HIMYM so I don't mind. At least it'll get another ratings boost so that a 4th season is practically guaranteed.
i don't watch this show anyway
Awesome ! I love Britney !!!
Such a load of fuss over a minor part, the way some of these showbiz writers talk you would think she was the star of the show, hopefully this episode will be the last of her on the show.
I loved the character of Abby, she was funny. This is good news to me.
Is Sarah Chalke going to be in that episode again? Chalke is the one I'm interested in watching...
Old news. :P Good to know she's getting her life back together.