Toxic legacy of #FreeBritney: Star’s  increasingly erratic social media posts raise a troubling question – was her father’s ‘abusive’ conservatorship  right all along?

On November 12, 2021, Britney Spears celebrated ‘the best day ever’ when a judge called an end to her controversial conservatorship, as fans wept for joy outside the courtroom and her father Jamie’s reputation appeared in ruins as the villian who had controlled every element of her life for 14 years. 

Jamie spears insisted his control of Britney’s finances, career and personal liberties was to protect her wellbeing, yet his daughter, now 43, claimed it was ‘abusive’ and likened her situation to being a ‘sex trafficking victim’.

After detailing how she was made to work against her will, forced into taking birth control and had no control over seeing her sons or friends, fans launched a #FreeBritney campaign, and rejoiced in their idol’s eventual emancipation. 

However, more than three years on, some are now beginning to question whether they were too quick to celebrate, following erratic social media posts where she’s danced with knives, claimed she burned down her bathroom and ranted about ‘fake friends’. 

‘I’m thinking her dad was correct in his guardian role, yikes,’ one wrote on X, while another added: ‘Well, everyone pushed her dad out of the conservatorship and pushed #FreeBritney and this is why her dad was controlling things. Be careful what you wish for.’

Jamie Spears, who is now living in a trailer and in poor health, remains estranged from his daughter, but last year he made a telling statement saying that his ‘work as conservator has ultimately been vindicated’, a viewpoint fans seem to be coming around to.  

‘Letting a documentary create public pressure to undo her conservatorship was a huge mistake. Turns out it was wrong to Free Britney,’ others added in the wake of rambling videos where she’s affected a British accent and spoken ‘like a little child’. 

The star had a worrying meltdown on Wednesday when she took aim at ‘fake friends’ for criticizing her looks, after sparking fan concern with a rambling video showing off her chipped nails. 

Insisting that she feels ‘beautiful’, she accused ‘fake’ people who claim to be her ‘best friend’ of jealousy, saying that she ‘feels so sorry’ for those who write ‘incredibly sad comments’ about her appearance. 

‘I thought my hair was beautiful and I do have a cold and it has affected my voice,’ she said as she explained why she was talking with a slight British accent.

The Toxic singer also bizarrely claimed that she would not be able to travel past the southern border for a few months, adding: ‘I have been held back from going to Mexico for four months and since flying and travelling is the main thing for my health and well-being, I do have a small virus,’ she continued.

‘They will do anything to keep me from living my life and in my highest manner,’ she wrote. ‘I feel sorry for people like that. Hopefully we can all be kind to one another.’

Last month, she sparked concern by claiming she had ‘burned down’ her bathroom and performing dance moves dangerously close to her open fire.

Amid the unusual videos, Britney’s romance with ‘deadbeat’ ex-felon boyfriend Paul Soliz fizzled out for a second time around Valentine’s Day, according to a source who spoke with TMZ.

The former pair previously split in July 2024, before briefly reconciling in February this year.

Back in May of last year, Spears notably sparked mental health concerns when she was pictured barefoot outside of the Chateau Marmont in Hollywood following an alleged fight with Paul.

Paul and Britney first connected in 2023 when he began working at her home in a housekeeping and maintenance capacity and over time, things became more serious and the singer was introduced to his children. 

But when the pair split for the second time, a source told TMZ the singer had ‘realized her former maintenance worker-turned-boyfriend was only using her for the luxurious lifestyle.’

Now single and at war with her family, it’s unclear who the star has to rely on. 

Her father Jamie has insisted he still loves his daughter, but their relationship has never been repaired. 

At the ended of 2023, he had his right leg amputated above the knee after he was struck down by a bacterial infection that landed him in hospital and nearly cost him his life.

In 2024, the pair finally reached a settlement over lingering issues concerning the end of the conservatorship and Britney was ordered to pay her father’s $2 million legal bills.

Clearly unhappy with the outcome that saw her fail to hold her father accountable for the ‘hurt’ she alleges he inflicted on her over the years, Britney took to Instagram in the aftermath of the settlement, saying: ‘My family hurt me! There has been no justice and probably never will be!’

However, Jamie seemingly took it as a sign that his actions had been justified. 

In a statement, his lawyer said: He has only ever wanted what is best for Britney, whom he loves very much. Jamie’s work as conservator has ultimately been vindicated and the world knows how hard he worked to protect her.’

So where did it all go wrong for Britney?

Having regained control of her social media in 2021, eyebrows were raised when Britney immediately began stripping off for nude selfies and filming herself dancing with a vacant expression.

Her sons Sean Preston, 19, and Jayden James, 18, were said to be ’embarrassed’ by her behaviour and in a tell-all interview alongside their father they soon declared that despite a conservatorship no longer dictating when they could see her, they were were in no rush to meet up. 

Jayden admitted ‘it will take a lot of time and effort’ to repair their relationship, explaining: ‘I just want her to get better mentally. When she gets better I really want to see her again.’

Britney responded in fiery fashion that day with a freewheeling Instagram tirade in which she goaded Jayden to ‘learn to pick up a book and read one before you resort to even thinking about my intellect sweetheart !!!’

It was clear tensions were frayed between the trio when her sons did not attend her wedding to Sam Asghari, 29, earlier in the year.

That union had also raised eyebrows among her inner circle.

Sam began dating Britney in October 2016 after he was cast as her love interest in the music video for Slumber Party. In October 2021, amid her legal battle to end her conservatorship, they announced their engagement.

Hollywood star Octavia Spencer was quick to warn Britney in the comments that she should ‘sign a prenup’, yet later apologised for her remarks and insisted she had intended to ‘make the couple laugh not cause pain.’

Five months after Britney’s conservatorship came to an end – in which she had been made to wear an IUD contraceptive device – Britney announced she was pregnant with the couple’s first child.

She shared the joyous news in April 2022 but a month later she wrote on Instagram that she had sadly lost the ‘miracle baby’ which they both longed for. She said that they would keep on trying for a child.

Two months later, the couple were married at her home in Thousand Oaks.

It was certainly a fairytale spectacle, with the bride arriving in a carriage drawn by white horses and their hooves painted gold.

She told Vogue magazine at the time: ‘We really wanted to make this a small and beautiful moment with family and friends.’

Her immediate family (including her parents, sister, and brother) were not invited, however, and her two sons did not attend. 

Their father Kevin’s attorney told People that both sons were ‘happy for their mum’ and ‘hopeful that Sam and Britney are starting a great future together.’

At the wedding itself there were signs that this wasn’t a conventional union.

The first dance, traditionally a bride and groom only affair, was instead Britney plus Madonna and Selena Gomez dancing to the bride’s hit Toxic.

It seemed to set the scene for marital life, with the couple splitting just a year later and citing ‘irreconcilable differences’.

Britney, thankfully, had taken on Octavia’s advice and signed a pre-nup, yet is said to be paying around $10,000 per month for him to live in a high-rise apartment in Los Angeles. Their divorce is yet to be finalised.

While she found herself facing heartbreak and loss, Britney’s newfound conservatorship freedom did allow her to revive her much-loved music career.

She teamed up with Elton John to release Hold Me Closer – her first song in six years – and a remix of Elton’s classic Tiny Dancer.

Fans went wild for the track, sending it straight to No. 1 in 35 countries, while Elton expressed its hopes that the success would ‘restore Britney’s confidence’, noting she’d been left ‘broken’ by her conservatorship.

However the eccentric dancing videos, pointed digs at family members and nude selfies continued, ultimately prompting the police to perform a welfare check on the singer.

In January 2023, fans urged law enforcement to check on the star as a result of her erratic social media behaviour, which saw her days earlier claim she had changed her name to River Red

Fans were concerned the singer – who had recently addressed a seeming ‘manic’ episode in a restaurant with husband Sam – was in danger after deleting her Instagram for for the seventh time in less than a year.

Deputies from Ventura Co. Sheriff’s Office were then sent out to her home home and determined ‘there was no reason to believe she was in danger’.

In response, Britney took to Twitter to lament her lack of privacy and complained that she felt like she was being ‘gaslit’ and ‘bullied.’

Although she stressed that police never ‘entered’ her house and stayed at her gate, she said the situation went ‘a little too far.’

In contrast with her usual bubbly Instagram posts, Britney’s Twitter statement was unusually sober and reserved.

‘As everyone knows the police were called to my home based on some prank phone calls,’ she began. ‘I love and adore my fans this time things went a little too far and my privacy was invaded.

She clarified that, ‘The police never entered my home,’ and they apparently left shortly after arriving at her gate after finding ‘no issue.’

But the run-in with law enforcement over the ‘prank phone calls’ still left her feeling accosted.

She continued: ‘This felt like I was being gaslit and bullied once the incident made it to the news and being portrayed once again in a poor and unfair light by the media.

‘During this time in my life, I truly hope the public and my fans who I care so much about can respect my privacy moving forward. All the love, B.’

However, in October that same year, fans called the police out again after Britney shared an Instagram video of herself dancing with knives that she later claimed were ‘fake.’

She later hit out at law enforcement, sharing on Instagram: ‘Is it a joke in the news again with welfare checks??? Come on America … we cooler than that, right???

‘The officers came to my home and said they would not leave until they spoke to me as people do 4 minute performances with them,’ she penned, and adamantly added, ‘I am getting an apology.

‘I’ve been bullied in my home for so long now…ITS ENOUGH! Don’t talk about it, come on, let’s DO!!!’

Britney then wrote, ‘As my mom does the silent treatment when paps ask questions about her own daughter as if I’m in the wrong…nope it’s an old game.’

In conclusion, she further slammed authorities showing up at her home and typed, ‘People need to be responsible for their actions! It’s about power for cops.’

The following month, Britney was able to have her say as she released The Woman in Me, an explosive memoir about her life in the spotlight and her troubles hidden in the shadows.

It included accounts of the conservatorship that for years granted her father control of much of her life and her revelation that she had an abortion while dating Justin Timberlake more than 20 years ago.

She shared a statement on Instagram in which she explained that she had no intentions to ‘offend anyone’ in regards to her memoir, adding she has ‘moved on and it’s a beautiful clean slate from here !!!’

Last year, it emerged she had settled the lingering issues in the court conservatorship controlled by her father.

Britney’s lawyer said in a statement: ‘Although the conservatorship was terminated in November, 2021, her wish for freedom is now truly complete.

‘As she desired, her freedom now includes that she will no longer need to attend or be involved with court or entangled with legal proceedings in this matter.

‘It has been our honor and privilege to represent, protect, and defend Britney Spears.’

Jamie’s attorney, Alex Weingarten, said the settlement was confidential at the insistence of her lawyer.

He shared: ‘Jamie has nothing to hide and would be happy to disclose everything about every aspect of the conservatorship so that the public knows the actual truth.

‘Jamie loves his daughter very much and has always done everything he can to protect her.’

Following the settlement, TMZ reported that friends of the singer branded her ‘completely disfunctional’ and claim she is in a worse mental and financial situation than she was when she was under conservatorship.

The insiders claimed that Britney is suffering from ‘shocking and radical mood swings’ and has become increasingly isolated.

One source told the site that those who have remained close to the star believe she was doing better while under conservatorship.

‘She had lots of freedom in the conservatorship and the restrictions were there to protect her. She’s not protected anymore,’ claimed the insider.

The star was also alleged to be in danger of blowing her $60million fortune after splashing out over a million dollars for each of her monthly trips to French Polynesia and Hawaii.

She has reportedly spent thousands on private jets and five star resorts for regular holidays, with an insider claiming: ‘She cannot afford this… she is in danger of going broke’.

A noted Hollywood psychiatrist then claimed the best plan of action for Britney’s wellbeing would be to place her under a new conservatorship.

Dr. Charles Sophy appeared on TMZ Live on Monday after the reports and revealed that he wasn’t shocked to see the news at all.

‘No, it doesn’t surprise me at all because the conservatorship was there for a reason, and even though, like you said, it might not have been with the right person, the actual process needs to be in place,’ he said.

‘When you have a mental illness of this degree, you need that kind of structure, supervision, and most importantly, to take your medication.’

In 2019, there were reports that Britney was being held against her will in the conservatorship – that was allegedly supposed to end in 2009 after just one year – because the singer was refusing to take her medication.

Dr Charles claimed that the spiral in Britney’s health now could be a repeat incident, claiming: ‘I think that’s probably what’s happened here. This is a no-medication situation.

‘Because of the erratic behavior, the manic-y spending of money, recklessness, destroying people around her, no one can feel safe around her, no one can control her, she’s out of control, on many levels.’

When asked how she could be treated now, Dr Charles admitted: ‘Well, these kinds of situations run into a wall, eventually.’

‘Either she’ll hurt herself, she might hurt someone else, or she could be 5150’d because she’s not able to take care of herself.

‘Any of those situations will push her to a place where then medication can be given to her against her will.’

When asked if there is an argument that can be made that getting out of the conservatorship was a ‘horrible thing’ for Britney, Dr Charles responded: ‘Absolutely.

‘You know, hindsight is 20/20, but look at it. She’s slowly unraveling and it was in place and she wasn’t unraveling. She might not have been happy, but she was stable… She needs medication. She’s out of control.’