Justin Timberlake allegedly began 'drinking more' to cope with Britney Spears scandal before DWI arrest

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Justin Timberlake was arrested for suspected drunk driving in the Hamptons after swerving out of his lane and breaking a stop sign early on Tuesday, June 18.

Insiders claimed that the singer has been drinking more to "escape" the criticism following Britney Spears' explosive memoir and the increasing pressure to remain in the top 10.

Timberlake has allegedly shown up at tour rehearsals several times smelling strongly of alcohol. He is currently on a global tour, which includes stops in New York City the following week.

Justin Timberlake allegedly used alcohol to cope with Britney Spears' allegations

The 'SexyBack' singer, 43, was stopped and arrested for driving while intoxicated in Sag Harbor, Long Island, shortly after midnight. According to court records, he was cited for running a stop sign and failing to stay in his lane.

The singer was released without bail after making an edgy appearance in court later in the morning.

According to insiders, the DWI incident ought to be a "wake-up call" for Timberlake, who turned to drink to cope with the severe accusations made by Spears, 42—including that he encouraged her to get an abortion in the early 2000s.

Insiders further claimed that he has been struggling to keep up with the rising pressure to compete with popular musicians like Harry Styles.

An insider revealed to Daily Mail, "Justin has been stressed over the Britney drama that happened at the end of last year and some of us noticed that he was drinking more."

"He isn't an alcoholic by any stretch, but he was advised to reel the drinking in so he could have a clear head when dealing with any public controversy because he had been accused of handling the Britney and Janet Jackson backlash poorly," the insider added.

In her biography 'The Woman In Me,' Spears leveled several charges against Timberlake in October 2023, including criticism of his 2002 song 'Cry Me a River' for how it made her look.

Justin Timberlake allegedly 'turned up to rehearse smelling like alcohol'

Timberlake has also reportedly battled with the unimpressive reception that his most recent album, 'Everything I Thought It Was,' had upon its release in March.

Concerns were expressed by another insider, who stated that Timberlake's recent drunken outburst is the result of his urge to "escape" from the aftermath of his album's poor sales.

"It's hard to say why anyone drinks but if it has to do with where he is at in his life right now, it makes sense to say he needs an escape," the second insider said.

"This will likely be his last successful tour and he is aware of this. He has a wife and two young kids at home."

"He has not been super happy about his album sales but no one at the label really has. Everyone was expecting so much better," they added.

The source further said: "The pressure of having to compete with artists like Harry Styles and Drake is getting to him and his numbers [album sales] being lower is definitely bothering him."

"We've all felt this for a while, and it has affected his writing process on his last few records."

According to a third source, individuals closest to the singer are aware of his drinking habits.

"It is no secret that Justin drinks, and the dancers know this better than anyone," they remarked. "He has turned up to rehearse smelling like alcohol on several occasions."

Justin 'celebrates a good show by getting drunk,' claims source

According to another source, the 'Mirrors' crooner frequently "celebrates a good show by getting drunk," but he could also get "flirty," with his wife Jessica Biel going out with him on the weekends to "babysit."

The source said of Timberlake, "When he drinks, he gets super flirty, and Jessica does have to babysit him. She has gone out with the crew several times."

"He has blamed alcohol for past behavior, including when he got caught 'holding hands' with Alisha [Wainwright]," the source added.

Before being taken into custody over the DWI incident, Timberlake went out to supper with pals. He has previously admitted to "getting plastered" and "doing his fair share of drugs" in secret.

The source added, "The guys who were there last night didn't want him to drive because they had been drinking, but they were ignored."

"He is being cooperative now and is working with his lawyer Edward [Burke, Jr.] to help him work his way through it. His friends have wanted him to drop the booze for some time, so this is somewhat of a wake-up call."