Britney Spears plays down Justin Timberlake duet reports

Britney Spears has played down rumors she might duet with ex-boyfriend Justin Timberlake.

The pair became one of the celebrity world's biggest couples when they began dating in 1999, after meeting on television series The Mickey Mouse Club. However, their romance didn't last, and the couple broke fans' hearts when they split in 2002.

Although both have moved on since then - Justin is now married to Jessica Biel, with whom he has son Silas - Britney still has fond memories of her NSYNC beau, so much so that she recently cited him as one of her dream collaborators during a question-and-answer session with Most Requested Live with Romeo.

Justin then revealed he was also amenable to the idea, but Gimme More star Britney has now dashed fans' hopes of a collaboration, admitting the idea is "just talk".

"One of my friends asked me if I would do a song with him and I said 'yes', so they took it as I really wanted to do it - and that would be fun - but yeah, I think that’s (just) a lot of talk…" Britney said during an interview in British television show This Morning on Monday (03Oct16).

Britney has enjoyed a career comeback in recent years, solidified by the release of her album Glory in August (16). The record contains the single Make Me..., and the mother-of-two told interviewer Rylan Clark-Neal that her offering represents a lot of hard work.

"It took me two years to make this and it’s just been an amazing ride. I’ve spent really all my quality time and my heart into this, so it’s very cool," she smiled. "It’s very empowering, this album."

Britney has also been delighting fans with her Piece of Me residency in Las Vegas. The show sees the singer strut her stuff on stage in a variety of complicated dance routines, but the stunning blonde insists perfecting the choreography is something she has grown used to over the years.

"Actually it’s fine, I have three shows a week, I work every other six weeks, so it’s kind of cool... it’s not like its tremendous on my body - and my body is actually kind of used to it after three years of doing this - it kind of knows," she said.