Enrique Iglesias’ Ego Couldn’t Handle Touring with Britney Spears

Minutes after Britney Spears announced, at the end of her GMA performance the other day, that she would go on tour this summer with Enrique Iglesias, reports were swirling that he had changed his mind. Apparently, Enrique’s ego could handle being Britney’s opening act, it has emerged.

Confirming the rumors, Enrique’s rep issued a statement apologizing to fans for the “confusion” when Britney said the two would be hitting the road together, because, as it happens, they won’t.

Understandably, speculation on what exactly happened immediately began. TMZ says that, while he initially said that he was ok with the idea, Enrique soon realized he would be Britney’s opening act – and he wasn’t ok with that.

Organizers and both camps tried to make the collaboration for the tour appear to be on equal footing and, for a while, Enrique went with it, the e-zine underlines.

Then, right before Britney made the big announcement, Iglesias had already begun to have second thoughts and was talking to people about pulling out of the tour.

“We’re told lawyers and agents for Britney and Enrique were hammering out an agreement for weeks, and the terms were finessed to make Enrique appear to be a co-headliner. We’re told both sides agreed to the deal and that’s why the announcement was made Tuesday,” TMZ writes.

Then, Enrique had a change of heart because his ego could handle being billed as second to Spears.

“But just hours before Britney’s camp went public, Enrique was burning up the phone lines and the Internet, engaging various people connected with the tour in lengthy conversations in which he made it clear – he was, in reality, Britney’s opening act and he wanted out,” TMZ says.

“One source says the deal was actually very favorable to Enrique, ‘great terms and great placement.’ But we’re told it all came down to taking the stage before Brit – too much to handle,” the e-zine further writes.

Fans of both artists hoping to see them together on the same stage should not lose all hope though: Billboard has it from reliable sources that reps for the two are still in talks to see whether they can make this happen.