Britney Spears' memoir was reportedly delayed because lawyers had "demanded" to see it before it went to print.
The 41-year-old pop star - who is now married to actor Sam Asghari but dated fellow singer Justin Timberlake in the early 2000s and had a brief relationship with Colin Farrell in 2003 - regained control of her multi-million dollar fortune and various aspects of her life when a conservatorship governed by her family was terminated in 2021 but the release of her tell-all memoir was delayed because her exes were reportedly "conscious" about what she may have written.
An insider told The Sun newspaper's Bizarre column: "Lawyers demanded to see her book in advance and were adamant that some of the revelations were removed. There are still plenty of gobsmacking tales but Justin and Colin were conscious about what could be said about them."
The 'Toxic' hitmaker - who was initially married to childhood friend Jason Alexander for a period of 55 hours in 2004 but went on to have sons Sean Preston, 17, and Jayden 16, with second husband Kevin Federline - is now due to release her tome on October 24 and the insider went on to explain that while it is "all ready to go" now, the "legal process" was what held it up in the first place.
The source added: "The legal process meant the publication was held up by four months as discussions went back and forth about what could be included. But that has finally now been settled and her autobiography is all ready to go."
Spears announced the release date of 'The Woman In Me' - which appears to have been named after a lyric from her 2001 hit single 'I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman' - earlier this month with an Instagram post along with the cover art for the book.
She wrote: "It’s coming. My story. On my terms. At Last. Are you ready? On sale 10.24.23."