Bryan Spears has spoken. Britney Spears’ brother did a rare interview and addressed the #FreeBritney campaign, which fans launched over concerns for the pop star’s well-being.
“She’s always wanted to get out of [the conservatorship],” Bryan, 43, said on the Thursday, July 23, episode of the “As Not Seen on TV” podcast. “It’s very frustrating to have. Whether someone’s coming in peace to help or coming in with an attitude, having someone constantly tell you to do something has got to be frustrating.”
Bryan told host Drew Plotkin that he and Britney, 38, “speak constantly,” but he does not actively use social media so he does not fully understand the #FreeBritney movement.
“I am aware that [fans] feel like maybe she’s being confined or held against her will in some capacity, but I can’t really speak for them,” he said, noting that the conservatorship has “been a great thing for our family, to this point, and [we] keep hoping for the best.”
Britney was placed under a conservatorship in 2008 after her much-publicized breakdown and divorce from Kevin Federline, with whom she shares sons Preston, 14, and Jayden, 13. Though she ultimately made a comeback in the music industry, landing a lucrative Las Vegas residency and releasing four more albums, fans began to sound the alarm in April 2019 after the Grammy winner sought treatment at a mental health facility, canceled her planned second Vegas residency and announced an indefinite work hiatus.
Britney assured fans in an Instagram video at the time that “all is well,” explaining, “What I need right now is a little bit of privacy to deal with all the hard things that life is throwing my way.”
The “Toxic” singer’s father, Jamie Spears, was her main conservator from 2008 to September 2019, when he temporarily relinquished his powers to Britney’s care manager, Jodi Montgomery, after an alleged altercation with his grandson Preston. Jamie, 68, was subsequently cleared of wrongdoing.
Britney’s mother, Lynne Spears, has also gotten involved in her personal affairs. In May 2019, she requested to be updated on the details of the conservatorship, which stops the entertainer from making any personal or financial decisions without approval. And earlier this month, Lynne, 65, filed court documents demanding “special notice” of “all matters” involving the trust that Britney established in 2004 to protect her multimillion-dollar fortune.
In the midst of the #FreeBritney movement, the Louisiana native’s conservatorship was extended until at least August 22. A routine court hearing was scheduled to be virtually held on Wednesday, July 22, with Britney, Jamie, Lynne and Montgomery among the participants. However, it was postponed after four people illegally accessed the court’s video system, a source tells Us Weekly.
Britney’s Crossroads costar Taryn Manning and onetime friend Paris Hilton are among the celebrities who have spoken out in support of #FreeBritney in recent weeks. Britney’s sister, Jamie Lynn Spears, has also taken to social media, writing via Instagram on Tuesday, July 21, “I have no right to speak about HER health and personal matters. She is a strong, badass, unstoppable woman.”
