Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera to appear at MTV Video Music Awards

Britney Spears has been signed up to open Sunday's show but will not perform following her disastrous appearance last year.

She has also been nominated for Best Female Video, Best Pop Video and Video Of the Year for her track Piece of Me.

Arriving at a studio to prepare for the event, she said: "MTV has played an important role in my career. How can I not be there to kick off their 25th VMAs?"

Christina Aguilera will make her first televised performance since the birth of her son in January.

Kanye West, who last year complained about failing to win a single prize at the event despite being nominated for five, is also set to perform while R&B star Rihanna, the Jonas Brothers and rapper TI will all sing at the 25th anniversary of the awards.

British comedian Russell Brand is hosting the awards.

Spears and Aguilera, who are both former members of the Mickey Mouse club, burst on to the music scene in the late nineties.

They famously sang with, and kissed, Madonna at the 2003 MTV event.

However, in recent years Aguilera has cemented herself as one of the best female artists in the world, while Spears' career went downhill after she divorced from Kevin Federline.

She recently lost custody of her children in a highly publicised court battle and was photographed crying on the street in the middle of the night.

It is hoped her appearance at this weekend's show will kickstar her comeback.

Via telegraph.co.uk

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