BRITNEY Spears was one of the most talked about celebrities on the planet in the noughties – and she's now at the heart of one of 2021's biggest legal battles.

The #FreeBritney movement has become a worldwide force supporting the pop star as she is set to speak out about her conservatorship case in court today.

🔵 Read our Britney Spears live blog for the latest updates

The controversial legal arrangement means Britney's dad, Jamie, has control over aspects of the 39-year-old singer's life and fortune.

It recently emerged that the star has expressed "serious opposition" to her father's "control" over her life.

Jamie argues this is for her own good, but Britney – and other celebrities – disagree.

"#FreeBritney" Sex and the City Star Sarah Jessica Parker tweeted earlier this year when the Framing Britney Spears documentary was released.

"We love Britney," Miley Cyrus sang during her Super Bowl TikTokTailgate performance.

And Courtney Love Cobain tweeted an image saying: "We are sorry, Britney".

Jamie Spears has previously dismissed the #FreeBritney campaign as a conspiracy theory – but fans will once again take to the streets believing they're helping their embattled idol.

Highly publicised unravelling

It's the movement of the moment – but it actually began over a decade ago.

In 2009, FreeBritney.net was launched in response to her court-approved conservatorship.

Known in some states as legal guardianship, the arrangement allows her dad to have control over her finances and many personal decisions.

It came after her very public mental health crisis in 2007, which included her shaving her head and being constantly pursued by paparazzi.

In 2008, after Britney was committed to a psychiatric ward, her dad was granted a temporary conservatorship which became permanent by the end of the year.

Lawyer Andrew Wallet was also made a co-conservator to focus on managing her financial assets.

Conservatorships are supposed to protect people who can't look after themselves – but Britney carried on making albums and going on world tours.

Nevertheless, Jamie has maintained power over many aspects of Britney's life for years, including being able to sell her property and even restrict who she sees.

Despite some fans' protests at the arrangement, the conservatorship has been kept in place and wasn't a widely-discussed issue for many years.

Explosive revelations

That all changed in 2019 when the #FreeBritney movement came back into blistering focus.

After Jamie nearly died from a ruptured colon, Britney cancelled a planned residency in Las Vegas.

“We’re all so grateful that he came out of it alive, but he still has a long road ahead of him,” she wrote on Instagram.

“I had to make the difficult decision to put my full focus and energy on my family at this time. I hope you all can understand.”

Some fans wondered if something else might be going on behind the scenes and, in March, Andrew Wallet suddenly resigned as co-conservator.

A month later, Britney checked into a mental health facility – and speculation boiled over.

All these conspiracy theorists don’t know anything

An episode of the "Britney's Gram" podcast alleged that the star's life was being micromanaged by handlers and a source on the show claimed Jamie was involved in the decision to drop the Las Vegas shows.

#FreeBritney started trending after the podcast was released with fans arguing she was essentially being held captive by the conservatorship.

A week after the episode's release, Britney shared a video on Instagram assuring her fans saying the rumours had gotten out of control.

"Your love and dedication is amazing," she captioned the post, "But what I need right now is a little bit of privacy to deal with all the hard things that life is throwing my way."

Then in 2020, the singer released a series of unusual TikTok videos which fans took as messages that she was being held hostage in her home.

Supporters of the singer even protested outside courthouses during Britney's previous conservatorship hearings.

“All these conspiracy theorists don’t know anything," Jamie told Page Six last August in response to the demonstrations.

"The world don’t have a clue,” he said. “It’s up to the court of California to decide what’s best for my daughter. It’s no one else’s business.”

Back in the spotlight

The conservatorship will be discussed in court again today – this time under intense scrutiny.

After the New York Times documentary aired in the US earlier this year, interest in the case rocketed, with the hashtag #FreeBritney trending on social media.

And this particular hearing in Los Angeles will see Britney directly address the courtroom as she appears remotely.

It's not yet clear what the megastar is planning to say during the hearing having only made oblique public references to the case in the past.

Britney appeared to make reference to the situation in an Instagram post to her 30.2million followers in February.

"I'll always love being on stage …. but I am taking the time to learn and be a normal person," she wrote.

"Remember, no matter what we think we know about a person's life it is nothing compared to the actual person living behind the lens."

Source: Read Full Article