Nick Carter dubs bar brawl arrest a 'wake-up call'

Pop star Nick Carter bar brawl arrest in January (16) served as a "wake-up call" for the Backstreet Boys singer to make better life decisions.

The star was taken into custody following a fight outside a Key West, Florida bar, during which he allegedly grabbed a bouncer by the throat. Carter and his friend Michael Rae Papayans were both charged with misdemeanour battery, and the singer originally pleaded not guilty.

Carter recently appeared before a Florida judge, and, as part of an intervention programme, the charge against him may be dismissed if he completes 25 hours of community service and six months of probation.

Now Nick is opening up about the incident, and insists he's determined to learn from the arrest and become a better person as he prepares to become a dad.

"It was absolutely a wake-up call," Nick told Access Hollywood. "We're all human, we act that way sometimes but for me, it's always about learning from my mistakes and learning from things that might not necessarily be mistakes, but little hiccups that happen in life.

"I'm very aware of everything that's going on around me, and know what I have to do to be the best that I can be... Things definitely don't always turn out the way you plan it. I'm just focused on the positive stuff that is happening and getting back on track."

The case comes at a hectic time for the pop star, as he prepares to become a first-time parent with his wife Lauren Kitt Carter, who has been his rock throughout the entire ordeal.

"My wife is extremely supportive," Nick explains. "Even when I was down there (in Florida), she told me, 'Go have a good time, enjoy yourself.' So we communicate 100 per cent and she knows everything that goes on and I tell her everything."

Nick also gushes about becoming a parent, revealing the couple's son could arrive on their two-year wedding anniversary on 12 April (16): "It's a week or so away, which is blowing my mind. I'm definitely excited about the new adventure that I'm going to embark on in my life, which hopefully will turn me into an even better person."

On Saturday (02Apr16) Nick and Lauren celebrated the impending birth with a Game of Thrones-inspired baby shower, which was attended by Nick's bandmate AJ McLean.

While Nick may escape the misdemeanour battery charges, he is still facing a lawsuit from the bouncer at the bar, who alleges he was injured in the spat. He is suing for mental anguish, pain and suffering, according to TMZ.com.