LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Nicole Appleton, who tied the knot with Stephen Haines in October 2021 and shares a child with him, has recently found herself at the center of resurfacing rumors regarding an alleged affair with Justin Timberlake while he was dating pop sensation, Britney Spears.

These rumors have been rekindled following shocking claims by Spears, who suggested the 'Mirrors' singer had been unfaithful to "another celebrity."

Nicole Appleton's intriguing connection with Justin Timberlake

Spears, now 41, who was in a relationship with Timberlake, 42, from 1999 to 2002, made these startling assertions in her upcoming memoir, titled 'The Woman In Me,' set to be released on October 24.

However, Spears chose not to disclose the name of the woman involved, citing concern for their shared history and not wanting to cause embarrassment.

In the year 2000, Timberlake, whom Spears disclosed she had become pregnant by later in the year, ultimately resulting in an abortion, was notably observed in the company of Appleton, who was 25 at the time and a member of the girl band All Saints.

The two were photographed attempting to evade the paparazzi's lenses in the back of a taxi, concealing their faces. They were also captured walking from The Mayfair Club to the St Martins Lane hotel where Timberlake was staying at the time.

Was Justin Timberlake still in a relationship with Britney Spears?

At the time of this night out, Timberlake was one year into his romance with Spears, and he was riding high on his fame with NSYNC. Meanwhile, Appleton was enjoying her own success with All Saints, who achieved a top-10 hit in the US with 'Never Ever' in 1997.

It is essential to note that there is no concrete evidence of infidelity, nor is it confirmed if Appleton is the celebrity referred to by Spears.

However, the media at the time reported on this night out with headlines like 'Nic and guy act so shy,' implying that Timberlake was still in a relationship with American pop star Spears during that period.

Was Britney Spears suspicious of Justin Timberlake's night out with Nicole Appleton?

In 2022, Julianne Kaye, Spears' former makeup artist, revealed in an interview with 'The Mirror' that Spears had harbored jealousy over Timberlake's night out with Appleton.

She stated, "I knew they had some issues. She had her questions about who he was with because stuff would be out in the press. They were very famous. So he'd be out with some girl from All Saints and she'd get very jealous, you know what I'm saying?"

Appleton later went on to marry Liam Gallagher, the frontman of Oasis, and together they had a son, Gene, who is now 22 years old.

Their marriage ended in 2014 following revelations of Gallagher fathering another child behind Appleton's back. In 2021, Appleton married Stephen, with whom she shares a three-year-old daughter named Skipper.