EXCLUSIVE: Britney Spears painted Justin Timberlake as a ‘gigantic con artist’, says crisis expert, who claims the singer MUST respond to his ex’s explosive revelations to save his reputation – and an NSYNC reunion could help

Britney Spears’ damning allegations about her relationship with Justin Timberlake have left a “smoking crater in his reputation and legacy”, according to a Hollywood crisis expert.

The pop superstar, 41, has dropped excerpts from her upcoming memoir The Woman in Me, in which she accuses Justin, 42, of cheating on her with a celebrity during their three-year romance and claims she aborted their child when he ‘ wasn’t ready to be a father yet.

The explosive claims have blown a hole in the narrative surrounding their 2002 split, with Britney widely vilified following reports accusing her of cheating on the NSYNC singer.

Now reputation expert Eric Schiffer has suggested that Britney has portrayed her ex as a “gigantic con artist” who he believes benefited from playing a “fake victim” in the aftermath of their divorce.

Britney Spears’ damning revelations about her relationship with Justin Timberlake have left a ‘smoking crater in his reputation and legacy’, according to a PR expert

Reputation expert Eric Schiffer suggests Britney exposed the Mirrors singer as a ‘gigantic con artist’ who helped grow his career by playing a ‘fake victim’ (pictured in 2002)

“Britney’s book is destroying Justin’s legacy, and his ‘good guy’ image now seems like it was a giant scam,” he told DailyMail.com exclusively.

“The public hates inauthenticity, and this bombshell report leaves a huge crater in his reputation and legacy.”

Reflecting on the lasting impact this could have on Justin’s career, the PR expert continued: “The backlash Justin is facing has only just begun. Expect growing, seething anger from Britney fans – and Justin’s, who could sever their emotional bond with the singer.”

Justin plans to remain silent, according to insiders, who told DailyMail.com that he is “aware” that his past treatment of Britney Spears “could come back to haunt him.”

But Eric, who is chairman of Reputation Management Consultants, has urged the singer to respond once the book is released on October 24, saying retaining schtum could cause further damage to his brand.

“Justin must respond after the book is released or he faces danger to his brand and the momentum he hopes to build as his celebrity bleeds out in torrents,” he warned.

“There are ways to navigate this, but he has to be authentic and not deviate from the truth because he’s playing with Britney Spears-powered nukes when he tries to deny it.”

Eric also claimed that Justin will likely “reveal himself as a shamelessly hypocritical prima donna celebrity for playing a fake victim of being cheated on after doing it himself.”

It appears the SexyBack singer will be included in the tell-all book, with fans already outraged by Britney’s revelation that she made the ‘painful’ decision to end her pregnancy after falling pregnant in late 2000.

Britney opens up about being cheated on by her former partner, among other unknown details about their romance, in her upcoming tell-all memoir (pictured in 2002)

Britney and Justin dated from 1999 to 2002, after first becoming friends during their stay at Disney’s Mickey Mouse Club in the ’90s (pictured in 2001)

In an excerpt obtained by People, she wrote, “It was a surprise, but for me it wasn’t a tragedy. I loved Justin so much. I always expected that one day we would start a family together. This would just be a lot sooner than I expected.

Eric Schiffer says Justin would be wise to respond as soon as the book comes out

“He said we weren’t ready to have a baby in our lives, that we were way too young. I’m sure people will hate me for this, but I agreed not to have the baby.”

The Summer Love singer and Britney had a highly publicized relationship from 1999 to 2002 after being catapulted to global superstardom as teen icons.

The pair originally met on Disney’s The All-New Mickey Mouse Club, where they shared their first kiss – long before they officially started dating.

Justin later found fame with boy band *NSYNC, while Britney dominated the charts as a solo artist with hits like Baby One More Time and Oops!…I Did it Again.

When the couple broke up over claims that Britney had been unfaithful, his decision to use a lookalike of the singer in his 2002 Cry Me A River music video left her vilified for their breakup.

Justin, who has previously expressed his support for women’s right to choose, is said to be prepared for his past comments about Britney to come to light, and is aware that his past behavior could also resurface.

The Woman In Me and its accompanying audiobook will be released on October 24

As for how Justin should approach moving forward with projects he has in the works, Eric advised the singer to delay as much as possible so the dust can settle.

He explained, “For projects that Justin can push through for a month or two, he has to postpone them so the dust settles.”

“He will have to move on to a project that his fans will love. An *NSYNC reunion tour could prevent his star power from soaring.”

Ultimately, Eric emphasized that Justin’s best move was to be fully accountable for his past behavior and not try to shy away from the adversity he might face.

‘“The best thing Justin can do is face his truth and be accountable, highlight how he has grown, and focus on projects his fans will love,” he concluded.

The Woman In Me and its accompanying audiobook will be released on October 24.