If you pay any attention to these things you’ve probably heard by now that Glee will have an upcoming episode featuring music from Britney Spears. We’ve even seen photos of Glee’s diminishing star, Lea Michele, dressed as Britney in her 1998/99 hit video “Hit Me Baby One More Time.” Glee creator Ryan Murphy confirmed in late July that a Britney episode was coming (link has show spoilers) and that it would feature six songs. At that time Murphy couldn’t say whether Britney, who has done television appearances on Will & Grace and How I Met Your Mother, would also be on the show. Now he’s confirming that Britney will be on and that she’ll play herself, although it sounds like her role might be marginal.

Text has mild Glee spoilers

Ryan Murphy has said that Britney Spears will “kind of” play herself in her upcoming appearance on Glee.

It was recently revealed that the popstar will make a cameo appearance during an episode of the Fox musical series which will be dedicated to her music.

“Well, it’s her idea. She sort of wants to do a ‘Where’s Waldo?’-type thing with ‘Where’s Britney?’ Yes, that’s all I can say,” the show’s creator told MTV News.

“And the reason we’re doing it is because so many of the kids on the show say, ‘We grew up with Britney. We want to do Britney’. So I said, ‘OK’, but I’m filled with admiration for her.”

Murphy went on to say that the episode would be a “love letter” to Spears’s career thus far.

“You know, I met with Britney Spears years and years and years ago right when ‘(Hit Me)… Baby One More Time’ came out and I was sort of starting my career, and I’ve always loved her,” he explained.

“I think what she’s done in turning everything around is remarkable, and the show is just a love letter to her music.”

[From Digital Spy]

More spoilers
Murphy also told Ryan Seacrest on his show that Britney’s role may be part of fantasy sequences that the students have while under dental anesthesia. He said that the show would honor her work as a musician and be “reverential” without references to her difficult personal life.

Other potential guest stars include Paul McCartney! Murphy said that McCartney sent him a letter that said “Here’s a list of songs that I love that I think would be great for your show and I hope you’ll consider me“!

Carol Burnett is confirmed to appear, and will play “Sue Sylvester’s Nazi killing mother.” Murphy says that the “inspiration for Sylvester’s mother figure came from a Facebook campaign.”

I’m a Glee fan but I found the last season a little over the top and like it more when they balance the drama with the music. There were some deliciously outrageous musical numbers, though, particularly when Jane Lynch recreated Madonna’s Vogue video, and when they did the Lady Gaga episode as a kind of costumed tribute to freaks and geeks. It’s nice that Britney is being recognized by such a good show and that she’s taking part. She’s done a lot to clean up her image these past couple of years and we look forward to more hit music from her.

Britney is shown looking good outside the movies in LA on 8/7/10. Credit: Fame Pictures.