Britney Spears's father says he would 'love nothing more than to see star not need a conservatorship'

The comments comes after a documentary shed light on the singer's legal guardianship, reigniting the #FreeBritney movement

Britney Spears supporters hold signs outside a court hearing concerning the pop singer's conservatorship in Los Angeles in February 2021. AP Photo

Britney Spears’s father has spoken out for the first time since a documentary cast a spotlight on the singer’s conservatorship.

Speaking through his lawyer, Jamie Spears said he would "love nothing more than to see Britney not need a conservatorship".

"Britney being safe and not being taken advantage of is his number one priority," his attorney Vivian Thoreen told NBC News on Tuesday.

Britney has been under a legal conservatorship for 12 years, which means she has a court-appointed guardian who controls many aspects of her life, including her finances. The conservatorship was put in place following the star’s public breakdown in 2007.

Last year, however, she petitioned to have her father removed from the agreement, with her attorney saying Britney was “afraid” of him.

The appeal reignited the #FreeBritney movement, which seeks to end the legal guardianship online. The movement was further helped by New York Times documentary Framing Britney Spears, released in February, which delved deeper into the star's situation.

‘Framing Britney Spears’ creators have suggested they have enough material for a follow-up documentary. Getty Images

"Jamie is not suggesting that he is the perfect dad or that he would receive any 'Father of the Year' award. Like any parent, he doesn't always see eye-to-eye on what Britney may want. But Jamie believes every single decision he has made has been in her best interest," Thoreen told CNN.

Britney's attorney, Samuel D Ingham, told CNN he "can't comment on a pending case".

Thoreen also spoke to Good Morning America last week to put across Jamie's side of the story.

Jamie Spears talks with two police officers at the entrance of the Cedars Sinai Hospital in Beverly Hills, California, in 2008. Reuters

“I understand that every story wants to have a villain, but people have it so wrong here,” Thoreen said.

“This is a story about a fiercely loyal, loving and dedicated father who rescued his daughter from a life-threatening situation. People were harming her and they were exploiting her. Jamie saved Britney’s life.”

The most recent hearing in the conservatorship case saw The Bessemer Trust, a financial company, appointed as co-conservator alongside Jamie Spears.

Thoreen had argued that Jamie should not give up the rights and powers that he previously held under the new agreement, however that request was overruled by a judge. Speaking after the case, she said that Jamie “looks forward to working with Bessemer ... in the best interests of his daughter”.

Following the ruling, Britney’s lawyer said: “It is no secret that my client does not want her father as co-conservator. But we recognise that removal is a separate issue.”