A 2003 interview between Britney Spears and Diane Sawyer recently came to light, sparking a new wave of controversy.
In the resurfaced footage, the pop star appears to be struggling with her emotions as she responds to Diane's probing and accusatory inquiries. Tears can be seen welling up in her eyes during parts of the long-forgotten conversation.
Two decades later, Diane is being met with harsh criticism from the internet community due to the recent disclosures in her upcoming book "The Woman in Me." This includes details about her abortion and past relationship with Justin Timberlake.
During the ABC conversation that took place 20 years ago, Diane's words had a sharpness that caused the "Baby One More Time" singer to break into tears.
It mentions that Britney was only 21 years old, making the situation even more delicate.
During the interview, Diane brought up Britney's relationship with Justin Timberlake and asked her about any cheating or betrayal. "What did you do to cause him such pain and suffering?" the reporter inquired.
In one of her interviews, the "Womanizer" hitmaker shared her thoughts on relationship fidelity.
Quoting herself, "I've only been with one person in my entire life, two years into my relationship with Justin."
Despite this, Britney has left people believing there was infidelity and a breach of trust within the relationship.
Diane also touched on Britney's past statements regarding abstaining from sex until marriage.
She posed a question to Britney: "What would you tell your younger sister Jamie Lynn, who once said she was going to wait until marriage before engaging in sexual activity?"
It is important to note that Jamie Lynn was only 12 when this interview aired.
Taking to Instagram with a lengthy and honest post in 2021, Britney Spears did not hold back as she expressed her dissatisfaction with Diane Sawyer's conduct during the 2003 interview.
She reacted, "Can we forget about that infamous chat at my apartment nearly two decades ago?"
The "Toxic" songstress wrote, "What was with the 'You're in the wrong' approach?? Geeze... and making me cry??? Seriously though... I lived in my apartment for a year and never spoke to anyone... my manager put that woman in my home and made me talk to her on national television, and she asked if I had a shopping problem!!! When did I have a shopping problem?"
In the aftermath of her 2002 breakup with Justin Timberlake, Britney revealed that the experience left her in shock. She went on to say that she "never spoke to anyone for a very long time."
Britney Spears was profoundly affected by how Diane Sawyer interviewed her, and over time, the public's opinion of the exchange has changed significantly.
According to one tweet, "What gave Diane Sawyer the audacity to think she had any right to speak to women like this? The damage that was done to women in the 2000s was unconscionable."
"I'm glad we still have Britney, but we lost Whitney Houston and Amy Winehouse while the media showed no humanity."
Another user commented, "It would be admirable of Diane Sawyer to apologize, but it looks like she won't. It's almost as though unethical journalists can say and do whatever they want with no consequences."
"Sadly, this seems to be the case here; @DianeSawyer has yet to face any accountability for her treatment of a young woman."
READ ALSO: Justin Timberlake, Jessica Biel In Chaos After Britney Spears' Shocking Revelations
In another tweet, a social media user said, outraged, "It's unacceptable to be treated inappropriately during an interview. Nowadays, people would not accept this kind of treatment and would likely walk away. It's simply disgusting how some individuals behave."
"This particular interview has always been on my mind. Why didn't Britney ever stand up for herself? She never denied the accusations of cheating - why did she not fight back?" inquired another.
"Diane Sawyer seemed to be taking it all too lightly. Considering that Britney was still young, this could have been a factor in their breakup."
READ MORE: Unpopular Justin Timberlake Cheating Rumors Resurfaces Amid Britney Spears' Bombshell Memoir
