Britney Spears’ memoir was given a riotous launch party in London with drag and burlesque artists performing to some of her biggest hits.
Copies of 'The Woman In Me' were handed out at midnight at the Mrs Riot bar, following an evening celebrating Spears’ resilience and survival as well as her songs.
Moments earlier, mother of the house Margo Marshall whetted fans’ appetites by reading an extract from the book where Spears talked about her special relationship with the gay community which she says gave her “unconditional love”.
The reading included a passage where Spears described the support given to free her from her conservatorship as “a debt I can never repay”.
Marshall, who compered the event, had earlier told the crowd at the venue in the Covent Garden area of central London: “I grew up in a tiny little town.
“Little old me is actually working for a Britney Spears event. This is unreal.”
The launch party crowd, a mix of invited guests and fans who had bought tickets, clapped, danced and cheered to performances of hits including Toxic, Womanizer and (You Drive Me) Crazy.
Drag performer Lucinda Behind told the PA news agency: “Britney is honestly quite the icon, a hard worker and a fighter.
“I’ve always been inspired by strong women and Britney is a strong woman.
“She has been through it all and she still stands on top, releasing a book to tell her story, releasing music. She is it, baby.
“She is it and she inspired me to just keep trying, keep going and work hard and be sexy.”
Burlesque performer Cleopantha said being part of the book launch had “meant everything”.
“Britney I’ve been a fan of since I was this small,” she told the PA news agency.
“I used to do Britney on karaoke with my mum so her songs mean so much to me.”
'The Woman In Me' has been published by Gallery Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster.
By Beverley Rouse, PA
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