BRITNEY SPEARS - SPEARS' NEW LOVE SPEAKS OUT

BRITNEY SPEARS' new boyfriend, a recovering alcoholic, has gone public with their romance, calling the pop superstar his "rock". Real estate investor John Sundahl claims he and the Toxic singer are an item after meeting at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting in Los Angeles. Sundahl tells the National Enquirer he knows Spears is serious about the romance because she recently helped him recover from bowel surgery. He says, "When I was in the hospital, she sat with me and held my hand all night long. She even sang and hummed to me while I was practically unconscious. "I love being around her. She's a sweet, caring girl and a good mom." Sundahl claims Spears sought him out for counselling sessions after leaving rehab at Promises in Malibu earlier this year (07), and then started attending AA meetings he staged. The wealthy 38-year-old admits his romance with Spears could scupper part of her estranged husband Kevin Federline's divorce battle - because the dancer/rapper's legal team initially subpoenaed Sundahl to testify against the pop star.