Britney Spears surprised "Rock The Cradle" contestants Thursday night by unexpectedly showing up for the season finale to support her former manager and friend Larry Rudolph.

"Rock The Cradle" pits aspiring pop stars, who have rock and roll in their DNA, against one another. The finale, which was broadcast on MTV, featured Jess Blaze Snider, son of Dee Snider; Crosby Loggins, son of Kenny Loggins; and Chloe Lattanzi, daughter of Olivia Newton John. Rudolph judged the competition.

Spears spent the duration of the show seated backstage surrounded by security. After the show, Rudolph told usmagazine.com, "She was here to support the show. I mentioned to her that I was going to my show. She said, ‘I want to come down.’ She loved it. She really loved it. She didn't come here for publicity or anything like that. She came here because she wanted to see the show, which I appreciated."

Spears headed to the show after spending the day with her two sons, Jayden James and Sean Preston. It was the first extended visit since she, along with her parents Lynne and Jamie Spears, appeared in Los Angeles County Superior Court Tuesday for a custody hearing, where she was granted extended visitation rights by Commissioner Scott Gordon.