Spears to mount comeback at MTV Video Awards

Sep 7, 2007, 15:09 GMT

Los Angeles - Troubled pop princess Britney Spears is to launch her comeback by kicking off the MTV Video Music Awards, the music television channel said Thursday.

Spears will perform her racy new single, Gimme More, at the start of the Las Vegas show, which is one of the top annual events in the music world.

'After weeks of mind-blowing media speculation, MTV confirms today that Britney Spears will be opening the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards,' MTV said in a statement.

It will be Spears' biggest performance since she put her career on hold in 2004 to get married, after which she had two babies.

The recent disintegration of her marriage and her subsequent erratic behaviour kept Spears in the spotlight, but there were many who questioned whether she could save her career.

Spears' last appearance on the show was in 2003 when she ended a duet with Madonna with a controversial and passionate kiss. Jesse Ignjatovic, executive producer of this year's VMAs, indicated that the appearance would be just as sensational.

'I wanted to start the show in a very big and dramatic way, and she's the one to do that,' said Ignatovic. 'She'll captivate everyone and set the tone for the rest of the night. There's no one better.'

Justin Timberlake and Beyonce Knowles lead the nominees with seven nominations apiece at the prize show.

Both singers will battle out for the Best Video award for What Goes Around ... and Irreplaceable, respectively. Kanye West and Rihanna both racked up five nods apiece including Video of the Year nominations for Stronger and Umbrella. Rounding out the top category are Rehab from Amy Winehouse and the most surprising nominee, DANCE from French electro duo Justice.

Timberlake also snagged nominations for Male Artist of the Year, Most Earth-Shattering Collaboration and the Quadruple Threat of the Year, which honours the combination of fashion, business, philanthropy, acting and/or dancing. Also competing in that category are Bono, Kanye West, Jay-Z and Knowles. The former star of Destiny's Child was also nominated as female artist of the year.

Performers at the show include Timberlake, West, Rihanna and Winehouse, as well as Timbaland, Fall Out Boy, Chris Brown, Lily Allen and the Foo Fighters.