NEWSBackstreet Boys Member AJ McLean Stands by 'Neighbor' Britney Spears After Her DUI Arrest
Backstreet Boys member AJ McLean praised his ‘neighbor’ Britney Spears weeks after her DUI arrest, noting he often ‘checks on her.’
March 27 2026, Updated 3:18 p.m. ET
Backstreet Boys member AJ McLean is still cheering for his fellow '90s icon Britney Spears after her DUI arrest earlier this month.
"We see each other every so often," McLean, 48, told a news outlet on Thursday, March 26, while attending the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards in Los Angeles.
AJ McLean Wished Britney Spears 'the Best'
Backstreet Boys star AJ McLean and Britney Spears both rose to fame in the '90s.
"The Call" singer said he and the pop princess, 44, "live in the same neighborhood in the same area," adding that whenever he "crosses paths" with her, he “always just give[s] her a hug and check[s] on her.”
When asked if they'd "spoken" recently, he said they hadn't.
McLean "wished her the best" as she continues to faces headlines regarding her scandal.
Britney Spears Was Arrested on March 4
Britney Spears was arrested on suspicion of 'driving under the influence of a combination of drugs and alcohol.'
The "Toxic" singer was arrested on March 4 in Ventura County, Calif., after police stopped her for swerving and speeding in her black BMW 430i.
Spears allegedly showed "impairment and submitted to a series of field sobriety tests," according to a press release issued by the California Highway Patrol. She was booked on suspicion of "driving under the influence of a combination of drugs and alcohol," per the report.
Spears was released in the early morning hours of March 5, and the investigation remains ongoing.
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- Britney Spears' Ex-Husband Sam Asghari Says 'Strong' Pop Star Is 'Oppressed' After DUI Arrest: 'I've Seen What She Struggles With'
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Britney Spears' Rep Addressed the Recent Arrest
Britney Spears' rep called the incident 'completely inexcusable.'
A rep for the Crossroads actress addressed the arrest, calling it "an unfortunate incident that is completely inexcusable."
"Britney is going to take the right steps and comply with the law and hopefully this can be the first step in long overdue change that needs to occur in Britney’s life," the rep said. "Hopefully, she can get the help and support she needs during this difficult time."
Spears' rep reported that her sons were "going to be spending time with her," adding, "Her loved ones are going to come up with an overdue needed plan to set her up for success for well being."
Britney Spears' Exes Spoke Out
Britney Spears' ex-husbands Kevin Federline and Sam Asghari spoke out following her arrest earlier this month.
Spears' ex-husband Kevin Federline, 48, shared a statement regarding her arrest two days later. The pair was married from 2004 to 2007.
“Kevin hopes for the best for Britney and if help is necessary, he hopes that she will neither resist it or those who are attempting to work with her,” his lawyer Mark Vincent Kaplan told TMZ on March 6. "The concern is whether this is just a one off or a one more."
Sam Asghari, whom Spears was married to from 2022 to 2024, also addressed the ordeal, telling Fox News that she "deserves privacy."
"When it comes to people making mistakes, I understand that," the model, 32, told the outlet. "I hope the press has learned from the past, that they give her the privacy that she needs."
