18 October 2023 , 22:12
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Justin Timberlake should "take control of the narrative" following apparent claims made by his ex-partner Britney Spears in her new memoir, a PR expert has suggested.
Britney, 41, is due to release the Woman in Me next week. Ahead of its publication, excerpts have been shared, including some referencing fellow singer Justin, 42 - whom she was in a relationship with from around 1999 to 2002.
One excerpt states that Britney had an abortion during their relationship. She claims Justin said they were "too young" to be parents. Britney added that she wouldn't have gone through with it if it had been "left up to [her] alone".
It's also claimed that he cheated on her with "another celebrity". She has reportedly said that she chose not to name the person in question in the memoir because they now have a family and she doesn't want to embarrass them.
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Britney Spears (left) and Justin Timberlake (right), pictured in 2002, were once in a relationship (Getty Images)Amid the release of excerpts from the memoir, PR strategist Laura Perkes - who's the founder of PR with Perkes - has shared her advice for publicists working with Justin. She's suggested that he "take control of the narrative" now.
Sharing her thoughts, Laura told us: "Britney's bombshell revelations couldn't have come at a worse time for Justin Timberlake, right before his musical comeback. Despite the fact he's stayed silent about his relationship with Britney, the revelations can't be ignored, nor should they."
She added: "The media will want answers and their (Justin and Britney's) fans will also want answers. While Justin may be tempted to hope it all blows over, ignoring the situation won't make it go away. If anything it will make it worse."
He's reportedly referenced in her upcoming memoir, which is due to be released later this month (AFP via Getty Images)Laura went on to how the situation could be handled on behalf of Justin - who is now married to actor Jessica Biel, with whom he shares two children. She suggested that his team should now "take control of the narrative".
She explained to us: "The best thing to do in a crisis is face it head on and take control of the narrative to minimise disruption. It's important for Justin's PR team to prepare and release a press statement that addresses the revelations without going into too many personal details."
"What happened in their private lives should stay private. While Britney has decided to tell her side of the story, Justin isn't duty bound to share his. They're both very different people now and digging up the past isn't necessary in the present or future," she further commented recently.
Britney's memoir The Woman in Me has been teased for months and is due to be published next week (Getty Images)Laura said: "The best thing to do in this situation is to set boundaries on what will be spoken about and when. Address the revelations, state that a lot has happened over the past 20 years and that both of them have grown, evolved and moved on."
Concluding her analysis of the situation, she further told us: "The press statement should state that Justin will reveal more when it feels like the right time for him, but for now he's focusing on his family and his musical comeback."