Britney Spears is scheduled to kick-off the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday night with "some type of performance," MTV confirms!

"MTV has long played an important role in my career," Spears, 26, said in a statement today. "How can I not be there to kick off their 25th VMAs? I'm excited to open the entire show, to say hi to my fans and to be nominated."

Britney Spears is nominated this year for Best Female Video, Best Pop Video and Video of the Year for "Piece of Me." She has been nominated a whopping 17 times before but never walked away with a prestigious "Moonman."

Her camp, most notably manager Larry Rudolph, has been denying that a performance is in the works. But that may all be a smokescreen.

Think about it: A flamboyant, kick-ass, secret performance from Britney Spears one year after her epic disaster at this very awards show?

It would either be a terrific way to jump start a long-awaited comeback, or be spectacularly bad, turning her even more into a national joke.

Either way, great celebrity gossip material. Can't wait!