Justin Timberlake Apologizes to Britney Spears and Janet Jackson in Lengthy Statement: ‘I Know I Failed’

Justin Timberlake just sent an apology to Britney Spears and Janet Jackson, as posted straight to his social media Friday afternoon. The 40-year old singer and actor took to Instagram and wrote a lengthy statement, which said he “failed” his former girlfriend (Spears) and his Super Bowl halftime partner (Jackson). Timberlake has been accused of sexism and misogyny regarding his treatment of Spears. He is also known for the “wardrobe malfunction” incident that happened with Jackson at the Super Bowl in 2004.

“I’ve seen the messages, tags, comments, and concerns and I want to respond,” he wrote. “I am deeply sorry for the times in my life where my actions contributed to the problem, where I spoke out of turn, or did not speak up for what was right. I understand that I fell short in these moments and in many others and benefited from a system that condones misogyny and racism. I specifically want to apologize to Britney Spears and Janet Jackson both individually, because I care for and respect these women and I know I failed.”

Timberlake and Spears dated back when both were teen stars in the late ’90s and early 2000s. During that time, Timberlake said he slept with Spears and accused her of cheating on him, which is portrayed in the 2002 song “Cry Me a River.” It resurfaced in the documentary Framing Britney Spears, which talks about her conservatorship she has been under since 2008.

For Timberlake’s relationship with Jackson, both took a lot of heat for what happened at the Super Bowl halftime show. During the performance, Timberlake pulled back part of Jackson’s outfit and exposed her breast. At the time, Timberlake described the incident as a “wardrobe malfunction,” and Jackson took the majority of criticism. Timberlake was able to return to the Super Bowl as a halftime performer in 2018 while Jackson’s popularity took a big hit. Overall, Timberlake has performed at the Super Bowl three times as his first appearance was in 2001 when he was with NSYNC. Spears also made an appearance during the show.

Timberlake continued: “I also feel compelled to respond, in part because everyone involved deserves better and most importantly because this is a larger conversation that I wholeheartedly want to be part of and grow from.”