In a shock move, Jamie Spears last week filed a petition to end his daughter’s conservatorship after 13 years in control of her life, career and £45million fortune.
In court documents, Jamie’s legal team wrote, “If Ms Spears wants to terminate the conservatorship and believes that she can handle her own life, Mr Spears believes that she should get that chance. As Mr Spears has said again and again, all he wants is what is best for his daughter.”
It comes three months after Britney, 39, spoke out in court for the first time against the controversial guardianship, describing it as “abusive”. The court-order has seen her deprived of almost every life choice – from buying a coffee and going out unsupervised, to being able to marry and have a baby. She argued to have her dad – who she said she’s “scared of” – removed as guardian, with the intention of then removing the court order permanently.
The judge, who will have the final say on whether to terminate the conservatorship, which could happen at the next hearing scheduled for 29 September, looks set to green light Britney’s bid for freedom, but experts tell Closer her path to “normality” will not be easy...
Pop guru: ‘She’s vulnerable to the money - hungry industry’
By the time her father was granted a conservatorship by the courts in 2008, Britney had released six albums, and later held a four-year Las Vegas residency between 2013 and 2017 – making her millions. But in 2018, she refused to perform any longer while under the conservatorship. In her court statement, Britney told a judge that she’d been forced into performing even when sick and faced threats she would be sued if she didn’t.
It has emerged that Jamie has earned £3.6million as a “salary” for being Britney’s conservator, as well as taking a percentage of all of her ticket sales and merchandise.
While fans hope she’ll make a return to her career and sit down for a tell-all interview with Oprah, pop culture expert Nick Ede believes Britney will have to be cautious.
“There’s no doubt Britney will have a queue of people wanting to make her music and take her millions,” says Nick. “LA, and the showbiz industry, can be money-hungry, and the danger for Britney is that, while she’s shown how strong she is, she’s still very vulnerable.
“The most important thing for her is to take some time out and take stock – she’ll be pulled in so many directions and it will be a lot for her to take in. A celebrity mentor, who has nothing to gain from her, would be hugely beneficial. Someone like her friend Paris Hilton – who has been a great support to her, and who is very grounded and has totally reinvented herself – would be perfect.”
Therapist: ‘The emotional scars will stay with her forever’
After 13 years of silence, Britney spoke out against her ordeal for the first time in court in June, and her revelations sent shockwaves across the world.
Comparing her conservatorship to “sex trafficking”, she accused her guardians, including dad Jamie, of taking control of her day-to-day decisions, which included everything from painting her cupboards to shopping for basics, and said they would occasionally strip her of her possessions, including her phone, cash and passport.
And after so many years of being in a “psychological prison”, Closer’s psychological therapist Emma Kenny warns Britney will be vulnerable.
Emma says, “She hasn’t been able to do anything for herself for a very long time, so it could be difficult for her to adapt to a new normal.
“Going from having no power, to making all her decisions – even small choices like changing her hairstyle or visiting friends – is going to be overwhelming.
“Britney is also likely to be suffering post-traumatic stress disorder – she will never be completely free because she will bear emotional scars for life.
“Unless she has a highly supportive network around her, she could invest in the wrong people. Her first steps to protect herself would be to surround herself with a supportive team and start to process the years of trauma.”
Check out: 28 celebs who look SHOCKINGLY different after plastic surgery
From Katie Price to Kim Kardashian, it's the most drastic plastic surgery faces - SLIDER with a cover pic
1 of 29From Katie Price to Kim Kardashian...
Have these celebs had a little help about the face? In our opinion, hell yes! Although some of them have been coy about whether they've had surgical attention to help with their striking looks. Take a look and decide for yourself if it's all down to good genes or...not.
2 of 29Sam Faiers
Since joining TOWIE back in 2010 it's safe to say Sam Faiers' look has changed over the years however the reality star has denied having any work done.Back in 2015, she spoke out about cosmetic surgery claims and wrote on Instagram: "A couple of weekly magazines have said I have had surgery, fillers & an EYE lift.. Yes apparently at 24 I have had an eye lift. "At fashion week I tried new looks with my makeup & now according to them I have had a face lift. "It's hurtful & not true!"So we've decided to leave these photos here; on the left she was 19 and on the right she's 27...
3 of 29Meg Ryan
Back in 1989 the fresh faced Meg Ryan appeared gorgeous however 20 years later and the actress almost looks unrecognisable. The When Harry Met Sally actress has never confirmed or denied having plastic surgery but she's previously said: "I love my age. I love my life right now. "I love the person I've become, the one I've evolved into."
4 of 29Kim Kardashian
She's arguably the biggest reality TV star in the world but over the years there's been a lot of speculation about plastic surgery she may have had done. The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star has previously confirmed she's had botox and her baby hairs lasered off. Although she's since revealed she regrets the laser, she wrote on her website: "My forehead had all these little baby hairs, and I would always break out because of them."Every photographer would Photoshop them out anyway, and I thought I looked better without the baby hairs, but now I miss them."
5 of 29Alicia Douvall
Her career kick started as a glamour model and she's since gone on to star in Celebrity Big Brother, alongside Katie Price and Katie Hopkins. However, Alicia Douvall's mainly known for having over 300 surgeries and spending an estimated £1million on it all.In an exclusive interview with Closer magazine, the reality star opened up about her toxic bum implants and has previously admitted she's had cheek and chin fillers and nose jobs.
6 of 29Lindsay Lohan
It's safe to say Lindsay Lohan looks VERY different nowadays compared to her fresh face back in 2003. The Mean Girls star revealed on Instagram that she's tried a non-surgical facial treatment however she hasn't spoken out about having any other plastic surgery.
7 of 29Amanda Bynes
She's The Man actress Amanda Bynes has had a rollercoaster of a ride in the spotlight. Before she was hospitalised for mental health evaluation and confirmed she was diagnosed with bi-polar and manic depressive disorder, she confirmed she had a nose job on Twitter.She wrote: "...I had a nose job to remove skin that was like a webbing in between my eyes. I wasn't going to tell anyone, but I look so much prettier in my new photos that I don't want old photos used anymore!"
8 of 29Lauren Goodger
Original TOWIE member Lauren Goodger has had a complete transformation over the years. Back in 2016, the reality star infamously removed her lip fillersafter having them for five years however she's since done a U-turn and got her lip fillers back. Lauren has also admitted to having a rhinoplasty to repair her broken nose, a boob job and liposuction. She has also slammed face fillers and pleaded with girls to stop having them.
9 of 29Tulisa Contostavlos
After shocking fans with her transformation, N-Dubz star Tulisa Contostavlos has admitted she's altered her face. On the Jonathan Ross show, she explained: "To clarify, I haven't had surgery. Surgery is 'going under the knife,' breaking bones, adding stuff in."I simply just had cosmetic enhancement, it's just a little bit of filler which I put a little bit in my cheeks and in my lips."
10 of 29Heidi Montag
The Hills star Heidi Montag has been very open and honest about plastic surgery and admitted she's had a nose job, lip injections, neck liposuction, a mini brow lift, chin reduction, botox, fillers, a boob job and bum injections.Wowza!
11 of 29Donatella Versace
She's a fashion designer for one of the biggest brands in the world and over the years Donatella Versace's look has changed. Back in 2013, she admitted at the Vogue Festival that she has previously had work done."I'm not like this genetically. I use tonnes of cream and take care of my hair and skin."She added she has had Botox but "only on my face".
12 of 29Sharon Osbourne
X Factor judge Sharon Osbourne is another star who has admitted to having surgery, so much so that she even joked she's on her third face.Sharon has admitted she's had face lifts, Botox and nose jobs and in her autobiography Unbreakable, she said: "There's not much I haven't had tweaked, stretched, peeled, lasered, veneered, enhanced or removed altogether. "I don't think I'm as bad as some women - like Jocelyn 'Bride of' Wildenstein. But I won't be having any more cosmetic procedures."
13 of 29Katie Price
Katie Price is one celeb who has been VERY open and honest about having surgery done; people accused her of being on drugs after she posted a bizarre video about her facelift, she then said she needs to "sort out" her plastic surgery before her agent admitted her facelift "knocked her confidence". Over the years the former glamour model has had boob jobs, a nose job, veneers, a facelift, botox, liposuction, dermal fillers and non-surgical procedures that include dermal roller micro-needling treatment and a Geneo+ facial.Wowza!
14 of 29Kylie Jenner
One of the most dramatic celeb transformations is definitely Kylie Jenner. After months of speculation the KUWTK star finally admitted that she did get lip fillers when she was 17 because it was an "insecurity" of hers. However, surgeon Mark Ho-Asjoe told Closer that Kylie's face is out of proportion. He explained: "Kylie looks as though she's had too much filler in her cheeks, lips and above her eyebrows."As a result, her cheeks are now alarmingly wife and her eyes appear sunken. Her whole face appears out of proportion. She looks way beyond her years, maybe even a decade older."
15 of 29Khloe Kardashian
Another member of the Kardashian/Jenner clan who looks VERY different from when she first found fame is Khloe Kardashian. Khloe has never admitted to having lip fillers however they do appear much fuller compared to when she first graced our TV screens. The KUWTK star has admitted she's had face fillers; on the TV show Botched she explained: "It did not work for me. "I looked crazy, and I still think the effects are in there - I went to have it all dissolved like three times."She added: "My face was so f--ked I had to go and get this whole thing dissolved."It was a bummer and now I'm afraid to do it again. And I'm almost like, I swear things are still in my face."
16 of 29Kris Jenner
Kris Jenner - aka Momager - has always been open and honest about any surgery she's had done; so much so that she's documented it on Keeping Up With The Kardashians. Over the years she's had a boob job, neck lift, a facelift earlobes cut and there's been a lot of speculation that she may have had a nose job and cheek fillers.
17 of 29Chloe Ferry
Geordie Shore star Chloe Ferry has openly admitted to having veneers, a nose job, teeth whitening, botox, eyebrow tattoos, chin fillers, lip fillers, cheek filler and a boob uplift. It hasn't all been easy though and in 2017 she admitted she 'couldn't breathe' after having an extreme nose job.
18 of 29Charlotte Crosby
Back in 2016, original Geordie Shore cast member Charlotte Crosby got a nose job and at the time she described it as "perfect".She's also had lip fillers, admitted she wouldn't rule out "more botox" in the future and had a boob job.
19 of 29Holly Hagan
Following in the footsteps of her former co-star Charlotte Crosby is Holly Hagan.Not only has she changed her hair colour but Holly has dropped from a size 16 to a size 10, got lip fillers, a boob job, botox, filler in her nose, filler in her chin anda 3-D bum lift.
20 of 29Sophie Kasaei
Another Geordie star who has admitted to having surgery is Sophie Kasaei. She revealed in an interview with The Sun that she's had, "a breast lift, implants and lip fillers". She's also had dermal fillers injected into her chin to define her jawline and remove the loose skin.
21 of 29Renée Zellweger
After a five-year break from movies no one could quite believe how different Renée Zellweger looked. However, the Bridget Jones star denied having any surgery in a letter written for Huffington Post.She wrote: "Not that it's anyone's business, but I did not make a decision to alter my face and have surgery on my eyes. "This fact is of no true import to anyone at all, but that the possibility alone was discussed among respected journalists and became a public conversation is a disconcerting illustration of news/entertainment confusion and society's fixation on physicality."
22 of 29Amy Childs
TOWIE's Amy Childs had admitted to having a boob job, botox, lip fillers and veneers. However in an interview with Closer magazine she admitted: "I'm not planning on getting anything else done and don't think I ever will because surgery has left me with so many problems."My boobs have drooped so much now and they're so heavy. I need to wear as push-up bra - nobody told me this before I had my boobs done."
23 of 29Lauren Pope
TOWIE star Lauren Pope looks VERY different from when she first graced our screens in 2010. The reality tv star has admitted she's had a boob job, botox and a 'his and hers' nose job she got alongside her then boyfriend Kirk Norcross.
24 of 29Chloe Sims
As well as having two boob jobs and a Brazilian bum lift, TOWIE's Chloe Sims has admitted to having veneers, Botox and filler. She told Now Magazine: "I've had Botox in my forehead. I've also had fillers around my mouth and in my lips and I've got a set of veneers."
25 of 29Bobby Norris
Last year TOWIE fans were shocked at Bobby Norris' face and while there was lots of speculation that he had plastic surgery, the reality star quickly shut down all the rumours. Sharing a video on Twitter, he explained that he's only had a nose job: "I can assure you, categorically that I've only had one septo-rhinoplasty on my nose."I've had no other surgeries - I'm just a little bit swollen. Sorry to disappoint guys but just the one surgery and I love it."
26 of 29Courteney Cox
Friends star Courteney Cox surprised everyone in 2016 with her new err, look. The actress looked miles different and has since admitted to removing the filler in her face. She told New Beauty: "I've had all my fillers dissolved. I'm as natural as I can be. I feel better because I look like myself. I think that I now look more like the person I was."I've had to learn to embrace movement and realise that fillers are not my friend."
27 of 29Georgia Kousoulou
TOWIE's Georgia Kousoulou is another reality star whose face looks very different from when she first graced our screens. The TV star has admitted to having a nose job, lip fillers and a boob job.
28 of 29Chloe Khan
X Factor turned Celebrity Big Brother star Chloe Khan has definitely changed over the years.The reality star has had chin filler to get rid of her dimple, two boob jobs, veneers, a Brazilian bum lift, a nose job and we can't forget the time she got her lips done but the surgery went terribly wrong.Eek!Speaking about the cosmetic surgery she has had, Chloe told Closer magazine: "I understand surgery's not for everyone, but I look a million times better after this [bum lift] procedure."I really don't care what people think."
29 of 29Ferne McCann
After being bullied at school for her nose, former TOWIE star Ferne McCann got a nose job in 2016 and showed it off on TV.Despite fans thinking she had lip fillers while she was pregnant, Ferne's previously told Closer magazine she won't have Botox or face fillers."Everyone thinks surgery is a slippery slope and that you get addicted but, for me, my nose job was the only thing I wanted to get done."I don't know what else I would have done, even if I wanted it," she told the magazine.She added: "I'm 26 and I think Botox and fillers actually make you look older. I like expression on a face."
WATCH: Ferne McCann on breaking up with her ex-boyfriend and her heartbreak plan | First Time Mum Secrets
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Michelle Heaton plans romantic getaway to renew wedding vows
Relationship expert: ‘Marriage and a baby may lead her to lose control again’
Last week, Britney’s boyfriend of five years, Sam Asghari, was spotted browsing engagement rings in Beverly Hills – just months after Britney said in her court statement that she wants to marry him.
She has also revealed she hopes for a baby with Sam, 28 – but had been banned from having her IUD (contraceptive coil) removed. And insiders say Britney – who is mum to Sean-Preston, 15, and Jayden-James, 14, with her ex-husband Kevin Federline, and currently has partial custody of them – is desperate to start a family as soon as possible as she turns 40 in December.
But relationship expert Alex Mellor-Brook tells Closer he would advise against going full-throttle with marriage plans as her life as she knows it is about to change so dramatically.
Alex explains, “Britney needs stability and cohesiveness in her life – and she seems to get that from Sam. But her life is about to change again, and she needs time to explore these changes and discover who the ‘new Britney’ is. Being in a marriage too quickly may even lead Britney to feeling a loss of control again.
“While it’s understandable that she’s in a rush for a baby as she turns 40, it would be advisable to still have a good amount of time together with Sam first to settle into their new life, share more experiences together, and rediscover what she is all about. I’m sure those close to Britney would urge her to get a prenup, too, to safeguard her fortune.”