SUPERSTAR Britney Spears is to headline Brighton Pride 2018.

Brighton and Hove Pride announced this morning that the legendary pop icon will be performing at the annual event.

She is set to kick-off her European tour at the festival on Saturday August 4.

The 36-year-old Toxic singer has sold over 100 million records worldwide making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time. 

Since the news broke, the Brighton and Hove Pride tickets website has been experiencing technical issues. 

Brighton and Hove Pride tweeted this morning: "Pride will be the first place in Europe to see the global megastar performing her spectacular Las Vegas show Britney - Piece of Me."

It comes as tickets went on sale on Friday for her Britney: Piece of Me show set to tour the UK in August. 

It is not first time Britney has come to Brighton and Hove. 

The Argus reported in 2003 the pop princess stopped off in Brighton for a spot of shopping on a day off - and apparently bought nothing more than a handful of badges. 

It was rumoured she been in the city with Buffy The Vampire Slayer star Sarah Michelle Gellar to visit good friend Kirsten Dunst, who was filming romantic comedy Wimbledon on the seafront.

Later she revealed: "I loved Brighton. It was very nice and I would love to go back as soon as possible.

"It was very pretty and very simple and I liked how quaint all the little streets were. It was very nice and I liked it a lot."

She was less taken when presented with one of Brighton's famous delicacies, however. When given a stick of rock in an interview, her response was a baffled: "Er, what, you eat this thing?"

After a quick explanation, she tucked in and said: "Oh, thank you so much, it's very cool."

A year later talk was rife Britney was set to move to Sussex. Rumours started after one of Britney's friend revealed the star had her heart set on buying a £2.5 million ten-bedroom mansion in Northchapel, near Billingshurst.

Yesterday Nile Rodgers and Chic were announced as performers at the event. 

For tickets visit www.pride-tickets.org

More to follow