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Artist News Legal
Britney Spears’ father says he is protecting her from “self-serving” people, as battle over conservatorship continues
By Andy Malt | Published on Thursday 17 December 2020
Britney Spears’ father Jamie has defended his role as her conservator, as she attempts to remove him from the role, saying that he is attempting to protect her from “those with self-serving interests”.
The pop star’s father was placed in charge of his daughter’s business and personal affairs after well-publicised mental health issues twelve years ago. While he voluntarily stepped down last year on a temporary basis, due to health problems, his daughter’s attorney Samuel D Ingham III has been attempting to have him permanently removed from the role – so far unsuccessfully.
At a hearing last month, Ingham said that his client was “afraid” of her father, and that they no longer have a “viable working relationship” and have not spoken in a “long while”.
Jamie Spears refutes this framing of the relationship, saying in a new statement to CNN that he was in contact with Britney and on good terms with her until Ingham filed to have him removed as conservator in August.
“I love my daughter and I miss her very much”, he says. “When a family member needs special care and protection, families need to step up, as I have done for the last twelve-plus years, to safeguard, protect and continue to love Britney unconditionally. I have and will continue to provide unwavering love and fierce protection against those with self-serving interests and those who seek to harm her or my family”.
Spears Snr’s own attorney Vivian Lee Thoreen adds: “Jamie’s relationship with Britney is not that different than your average father-daughter relationship insofar as there has always been a mutual love and respect for each other”.
“Until Britney’s court-appointed attorney Sam Ingham abruptly instructed Jamie not to contact Britney a few months ago, Jamie and Britney had spoken often and regularly throughout the entire conservatorship”, she goes on. ”In fact, they had spoken just the day before and had had a pleasant and collaborative conversation”.
Legal wrangling over the conservatorship continues.
