Britney back on for Jackson gala

Britney will perform a duet with Jackson

Britney Spears's appearance at Michael Jackson's 30th anniversary concert in New York is back on schedule, after being dropped on Thursday.

The singer was forced to cancel Friday's appearance because, as the show is to go out on CBS TV, it would have broken her exclusive deal with rival station HBO.

Now, however, Spears has made a deal whereby she will perform but her spot will not be televised.

Jackson is to celebrate 30 years' solo success

Spears is down to sing a duet with Jackson on the track The Way You Make Me Feel at the gig at Madison Square Garden.

Spears's contract with HBO is said to state that the singer cannot appear anywhere else on TV within a month of her live special on HBO in November.

The concert on Friday, one of two to celebrate Jackson's solo career, is to be broadcast in a two-hour special on CBS next month.

Spears was said to be looking forward very much to performing with Jackson because she admired him very much, calling him a "genius".

Album

The two concerts - the other is on Monday - will also see Jackson reunited on stage with his Jackson 5 brothers - Jackie, Tito, Jermaine and Marlon - for the first time in 20 years.

Younger brother Randy will also be there to perform on stage, as will hundreds of music and Hollywood celebrities.

Jackson has been in the limelight since the age of five

Among those taking part will be Whitney Houston, Gladys Knight, Ray Charles and Quincy Jones.

Actors billed to appear include Marlon Brando, Elizabeth Taylor, William Shatner, Willem Dafoe and Macaulay Culkin.

The shows will also act as a means to launch Jackson's long-awaited new studio album Invincible.

They will also mark the first time Jackson has performed live on stage in 11 years.

Ticket prices for Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration range from $45 (£32) to $2,500 (£1,760).