Britney Spears’ father Jamie speaks out in a first interview in a decade and asks if she would live without a conservatory

In an interview with The Mail on Sunday, Jamie, the father of Britney Spears, much scorned by the #FreeBritney movement, speaks his voice for the first time in a decade. The 70-year-old defended his behavior during his daughter’s long winter garden and at one point wondered if she would still be alive without the intervention.

Britney Spears recently upset even her staunchest defenders with a spate of near-nude social media posts and quirky captions. The behavior even prompted her husband to question her, although he said he would not try to curb her actions.

Jamie Spears told the Mail that his protective measures were only taken to save his daughter at her most difficult time. He claimed that he not only prevented her death, but that he saved her relationship with the songs Preston and Jayden.

Jamie Spears said of the times when he “won’t paint pretty pictures”. But he said the measures were necessary.

“Not everyone will agree with me,” said Jamie Spears. “It was a wonderful time. But I love my daughter with all my heart and soul. Where would Britney be now without this conservatory? And I don’t know if she would still be alive. I wouldn’t.

“The conservatory was a wonderful tool to protect them and also the children. I don’t think she would have gotten the children back without it.” The two teenagers live with their father Kevin Federline and recently moved away from their mother.

Jamie Spears now lives in rural Louisiana with his other daughter, Britney’s younger sister Jamie Lynn. He is out of touch with Britney, as is Jamie, who was also slammed by her sister on social media.

Jamie Spears said he did not want to be too frank in his comments for fear that he would send Britney “further down the hole”, as he puts it.

“I miss my two sons very, very much,” he said. “I do. You know, we were very, very close. They were about the age to have fun with them. But they developed their own minds. God makes things happen for a reason. I don’t know what the reason is not but it’s been a rough three years without her the family is a mess all we can do is keep praying.

Britney’s mother and father Lynn divorced in May 2002. Britney Spears divorced Federline in 2007. Her public appearances subsequently included shaving her hair, smashing an umbrella into a photographer’s car and being hospitalized for drug abuse. At this point what was to be a temporary conservatory was built and made permanent later that year. It is divided into two parts, one about Britney’s estate and finances, the other about entertainment choices. Jamie was hired to take care of both and was paid $16,000 per month as compensation.

Supervision of the two teenagers was a big part of the conservatory. “My relationship with Kevin gave them a sense of peace and protection,” said Jamie Spears. “Kevin will tell you this too – we were the ones who raised the kids. I just did what I had to do or felt I had to do.

“I didn’t make any decisions on my own – the team was me, my partner and Kevin. We can all take the children to the doctor and to school. At the time, Kevin was very busy. And the conservatory ensured that the boys never left the house unsafely. They never went to school without lunch.”

The settlements also helped Britney rebuild her finances, claimed Jamie, who said his daughter was “broke”. She had no money at all. The conservatory provided a resource for her to return to financially – she worked – and she became financially fit.”

During her time at the conservatory, Spears released four albums, went on three world tours and hosted a two-year residency in Las Vegas that helped her rebuild her fortune.

“The finances were better with the conservatory,” says Jamie. “My understanding of a conservatory is to help someone get their life back and get back into society and live a normal life. I want to say that I made a difference. There were some people behind me who really helped us to be able to help her.

When Britney Spears canceled a second planned stay in Vegas and said she was on a “work break,” she checked herself into a mental institution. Jamie Spears has been accused of taking the step against his daughter’s wishes. The #FreeBritney campaign has reinforced claims of restrictions on the singer. This culminated in the 2021 documentary stars Britney Spearsclaims the singer’s phones were tapped.

At a subsequent hearing, Britney Spears claimed she was afraid of her father, was forced to tour, went to rehab and was on psychiatric medication. She was also not allowed to remove her IUD.

Jamie Spears was removed as curator in November 2021.

“All I can say is that most people have no idea what the truth is,” Spears concluded. “Your lawyer has no idea what the truth is. The media did not hear the truth. You’ve heard Britney’s claims. I don’t mind taking those beatings because I know it’s not true and I don’t want to do anything else. That my daughter ended up going further down the hole than before.