Squashing the life and times of Britney Jean Spears into 200 measly words is like asking Lily Allen to stop flashing for, like, two seconds impossible! What the hoo, here goes...
Our pop princess's story begins at eight, when TV tot Brit appears on Disney's Mickey Mouse Club with other soon-to-be-stars Christina Aguilera and boyf-to-be Justin Trousersnake. At the show's demise, Britters signs to Jive and there follows a rapid rise to the top of the pop game. And game, she certainly was.
Her eyebrow-raising debut single Hit Me Baby, One More Time depicted our naïve 17-year-old lovely as a naughty-but-nice schoolgirl with more than chemistry on her mind. Fans of sugary pop (and dirty old men alike) lapped it up. The album of the same name went platinum in no time, with the help of other hits like Crazy and Sometimes, and Britney became an instant star.
OK (deep breath), so briefly...Britney then released strings of albums and hit singles (stand-outs include Oops!..I Did It Again, Stronger, Overprotected, Boys, Toxic, Gimme More, Piece of Me) to mobs of awaiting fans. There followed sold out shows, respect from music critics and shelf-loads of awards.
But it was her experimental sounds and romantic meltdowns a very public break-up with Justin, a 55-hour marriage, and then divorce from second husband and dad of her two kids Kevin Federline that saw Brit tumble from her pop precipice to desperately messed-up and down-and-out.
A recent return to form, with her show-stopping Circus album and tour has put our pop princess back where she belongs on top and ready to shock. Long may it last (and relax...)