Oh 'Mother'! Britney returns to CBS sitcom

Neil Patrick Harris (left) as Barney and guest star Britney Spears as Abby appear in a scene from “How I Met Your Mother” to air May 12. (CBS)

She’s baaaack! And that sentence is almost as much of a cliche as spicing up sitcom ratings with celebrity guests.

But Britney Spears’ drop-in to “How I Met Your Mother” an otherwise quick, smart show led by Neil Patrick Harris lured an extra couple million eyes to the show on March 24, so CBS was happy to invite her back. Harris was less enthusiastic.

She taped her second appearance on the show last week she just “couldnt wait” to reprise her role as a doctor’s receptionist, she said.

In the new gimmick, her character Abby falls for womanizer Barney (Harris).

The show is scheduled to air May 12.

“I had such a great experience the last time I was on the show that I couldn’t wait to come back,” she said in a statement. “I was really looking forward to working with this cast and crew again. Everyone was so nice. Abby is going to have a lot of fun!”