The Independent's journalism is supported by our readers. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn commission.
Britney vs Spears: Fans react to latest Britney Spears documentary ahead of conservatorship hearing
New documentary was released ahead of the singer’s next conservatorship hearing
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Britney Spears fans are sharing their reactions after yet another documentary about the embattled pop star was released.
Britney vs Spears, which arrived on Netflix on Tuesday 28 September, has received mixed reviews from critics but sparked another wave of support ahead of the singer’s next conservatorship hearing.
“The ending made me cry,” one fan wrote of the documentary, while another described it as “heartbreaking”.
The hashtag #FreeBritney trended on Twitter following the programme’s release, with many fans saying they hoped the next hearing would result in Spears being released from the conservatorship that has controlled her business and personal affairs for 13 years.
Today (Wednesday 29 September) a judge will consider requests to remove her father, Jamie Spears, from the conservatorship and to terminate it altogether.
In Britney vs Spears, filmmaker Erin Lee Carr interviews what The Independent’s review describes as “dubious figures from Britney lore”, including her one-time paparazzo boyfriend, Adnan Ghalib, and her former business associate Sam Lufti.
“Spears’s conservatorship and the circumstances that led up to it are labyrinthian,” critic Adam White observed. “There are many players, many rumours, and often difficulties discerning fact and fiction, something exacerbated by a thriving community of Spears supporters, who treat it all like a true-crime mystery.
“Documentaries like Britney vs Spears only perpetuate the worst of it, gesturing towards revelations without actually saying anything, and leaving desperate fans to follow a scattering of breadcrumbs to their own potentially incorrect conclusions. It’s irresponsible, boring and a waste of everyone’s time.”
Last week, a follow-up to the Framing Britney Spears documentary included a number of revelations, including the allegation that Spears’s private communications were monitored by a 24-hour security team hired by her father.
Enjoy unlimited access to 100 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music
Sign up now for a 4 month free trial (3 months for non-Prime members)
Enjoy unlimited access to 100 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music
Sign up now for a 4 month free trial (3 months for non-Prime members)
Spears’s legal team issued a filing this week accusing Jamie of crossing “unfathomable lines” and engaging in “horrifying and unconscionable invasions of his adult daughter’s privacy”.
Jamie Spears’s lawyer said his actions “were done with the knowledge and consent of Britney, her court-appointed attorney and/or the court”.
“Jamie confirms that he has no access to her calls, voicemail messages, or texts,” they told The New York Times.
Spears herself has called the conservatorship “abusive” and said she wants it terminated as soon as possible.