Janet Jackson is not banned from the Super Bowl, the bosses of the National Football League (NFL) have insisted in a statement.
Justin Timberlake confirmed on Sunday night that he will be returning to the Super Bowl stage to headline the 2018 Halftime Show next February. His performance will come 14 years after his infamous performance with Janet, in which he ripped off part of her outfit to unintentionally reveal her breast – leading to the scandal known as “Nipplegate”.
After Justin confirmed the news in a video, Janet fans took to social media to speculate about whether or not their idol had actually been banned from the Super Bowl following the worldwide uproar caused by the 2004 performance.
However, the NFL were quick to deny the claims in a statement, which read: “There’s no ban. We are not going to comment on any speculation regarding potential guests. There may be no guests. Along with Pepsi, we’re excited to have Justin Timberlake. Like the elite NFL players who can run, catch, and block, Justin can do it all – sing, dance, act and entertain. He’s the ultimate global superstar who we know will put on an entertaining and unifying show that will appeal to the massive worldwide audience.”
Their statement came amid claims Justin is considering asking Janet to be a guest during his performance, and the mother-of-one would apparently jump at the offer if presented with it.
“The door is wide open,” a source told Entertainment Tonight. “If Justin or his team did reach out, Janet would perform with him again in a minute.”
The Super Bowl will take place on 4 February at the U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
