Britney Spears made her much-anticipated return to the MTV Video Music Awards stage last night, performing her latest single Gimme More in nothing but a bra and knickers. Backed by pole-dancing dancers against a red backdrop, the singer worked with illusionist Criss Angel on the act, but the spectacle was widely seen as a fizzle rather than the expected bang.
Hip-hop star Akon, speaking backstage to People magazine, was blunt in his assessment. 'That could have been better. She needed to focus more. She looked nervous and I think the pressure got to her,' he said.
Spears has a history of using shock tactics at the VMAs, most famously kissing Madonna in 2003 and dancing with a huge snake in 2001. However, this year's performance failed to recapture that wow factor, leaving fans and critics disappointed.
