TORMENTED Britney Spears is facing bankruptcy after a huge two-year spending bender.
The singer, now in rehab, has blown £11million of her £16.5m fortune – and faces a big-money divorce.
Now she is banking on former lover Justin Timberlake to come to her rescue by helping to revive her pop career.
The troubled star, currently battling booze and drugs, is “scared to death” of plunging into the red when she leaves the Promises centre in Malibu, California.
Not only is she facing a megabucks divorce from wannabe rapper Kevin Federline, but she has also failed to make any new music for four years – while sales of money-spinning products such as her perfume have plummeted.
Her one glimmer of hope is a lifeline offered by top producer Timberland. He has already given a trendy spin to tracks by her ex Timberlake, 26 – who is said to have agreed to team up with Britney to give her career a boost.
Brit, 25, is desperately keen to see Justin again and is said to have begged him to pay her a morale-boosting visit.
Mobile phones are banned there, but sources say she has been overheard chatting to her ex on one she has had smuggled in.
A source told a mag in the States: “She was hiding in a closet and talking to a guy named Justin, probably Justin Timberlake.
“She was talking to him about coming to support her at a group Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. She kept saying: “C’mon Justin, please, please, please come!’ She was begging him.”
In the past two years, Britney has spent millions on luxury pads, lavish gifts and high living.
She is said to have frittered away much of the £16.5million she earned through hits such as Oops! I Did It Again.
And although she signed a pre-nuptial agreement, the mum-of-two has to give Federline – who is 29 tomorrow – a £2m pay-off and half the cash from the sale of their house, on top of her sky-high legal costs.
Britney’s career has also been shot to pieces by her recent out-rageous behaviour, including going knickerless on boozy nights out and shaving off her hair.
A family friend said: “She’s scared to death of what’s facing her when she gets out of rehab.
“She has to concentrate on staying sober, but she can’t do that if she has to worry about going broke – which is exactly what she thinks will happen.”
Producer Timbaland, 36, could be the answer to her prayers. He has offered to work with her and Justin on a new pop project.
Timbaland said: “I just want to hold her hand. I want her to be in my camp, to be around Justin. I need Justin to talk to her.
“I’m just the sort of person who wants to save the world.”
A pal told OK! magazine: “Salvaging her career is not a matter of saving face. “Britney has to get back on track to support herself and her kids.
