Unhappy ... Madonna peforms and, right, M.I.A flicks the middle finger during show

MADONNA is livid after British rapper M.I.A upstaged her at the Super Bowl by flicking a middle finger and swearing.

Madonna, 53, had no idea M.I.A, 36, was going to make the obscene gesture while singing the line: "I don't give a s***".

The Queen of Pop had invited her on stage as a guest vocalist at the family American football event — the most watched programme in US history with 111.3 million American viewers.

A source said: "Madonna wasn't impressed. She prides herself on professionalism.

"M.I.A did nothing similar in rehearsals. Nobody knew she was going to pull this stunt.

"Madonna wanted to put on a world-beating performance. But everyone ended up talking about this girl's middle finger."

M.I.A, of Mitcham, South London — famous for her hit Paper Planes — was singing on the track Give Me All Your Luvin', off Madge's new album MDNA at the Indianapolis show.

A source close to M.I.A — real name Mathangi Arulpragasam, blamed the finger gesture — on "adrenaline". The source said: "She wasn't thinking. She was caught in the moment and she's incredibly sorry."

M.I.A could be hit with a huge fine, because artists are said to sign a liability clause with TV network NBC.

Regulators imposed a £350,000 penalty after Janet Jackson's infamous "wardrobe malfunction" when she flashed a breast at the 2004 Super Bowl.

Powerful watchdog The Parents Television Council called Sunday's gesture the "selfish act of a desperate performer".

Chief Tim Winter said: "M.I.A used a finger shamelessly to bring attention to herself, effectively telling an audience filled with children, '**** you.' "