Britney Spears Alicia's Guest Spot

Alicia Silverstone backs out of How I Met Your Mother role after Britney Spears is cast

By Gina Serpe Mar 11, 2008 6:47 PMTags

The addition of Britney Spears to How I Met Your Mother may succeed in bringing eyeballs to the CBS sitcom, but it has sent at least two feet packing.

Sources who work on the set of the critically acclaimed show confirm to E! Online's TV blog that would-be guest star Alicia Silverstone has pulled out of her planned stint on the series after learning that Spears would be appearing on the same episode.

Neither producers nor the network has commented on the role reneging.

But our sources say Silverstone's exit has nothing to do with bad blood with Spears. Instead, the Clueless alum feels the atmosphere would be "too chaotic" with Spears on the set.

Scrubs' Sarah Chalke has stepped in to fill Silverstone's vacated role of Stella, a hottie dermatologist lead character Ted (Josh Radnor) falls for. Spears has signed on to play Abby, Stella's "sweet and friendly and scattered and a little nerdy" secretary.

"We couldn't be happier to have Sarah Chalke joining us to play a new love interest for Ted, Dr. Stella Zinman," the show's executive producer and cocreator, Craig Thomas, said. "Not only is Sarah smart, funny and charming, but we already know she looks damn good in a labcoat."

As a longtime fan of the series, Silverstone will still try and squeeze in a guest spot on the show at a later date, though no new deal has been set.

As for Spears, she attended the table read for the episode on Monday.

"We're thrilled to have Britney Spears on the show," Thomas said of the casting coup. "Britney is an exciting new talent and we can't wait for the world to meet her. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go check out this 'internet' thing everyone's talking about."

The episode is scheduled to air Monday, March 24.