Britney Spears shared a 22-minute video about her conservatorship. This is what she said.

Today, Britney Spears shared the full story behind her conservatorship – a story we had never fully heard of until now. And the details shared can only be described as bombshell allegations. 

From 2008 to 2021, Britney had every element of her life controlled – what her career looked like, her finances, her medical choices and other key life decisions. She even had an IUD inserted which was completely against her wishes. 

Then in late 2021 after the #FreeBritney movement gained increasing momentum, Britney was granted freedom. Her conservatorship that had controlled her life for almost 14 years was no more. 

Only now, around ten months on since that monumental ruling, has Britney decided to come forward with her side of the story. In a 22-minute YouTube video posted and promoted via her official Twitter, Britney spoke about the conservatorship and her family's "controlling" actions. The video had no picture, only sound, and was soon changed to private settings meaning it is no longer publicly available to watch on her YouTube account.

The contents of the video however have been widely reported on already and watched by thousands. Variety has reached out to a representative for Britney to verify the authenticity of the YouTube message.

Here are the six things we learned.

But first watch: Britney Vs Spears official trailer. Post continues below.

1. Britney Spears said she was offered an Oprah interview, but decided to knock it back.

In the audio message, Britney confirmed the reports that she had been offered a tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey to detail her experiences in the conservatorship.

Britney explained that she now thinks it best to share her story herself, therefore opting for the YouTube video.

"I've had tonnes of opportunities… but I'm here to open myself to others and shed a light on it. I get nothing out of sharing this… I have offers [for] lots and lots of money… to me, it's beyond a sit-down, proper interview."

Britney also said she "felt kind of silly" for potentially getting paid for an interview, given the subject matter is deeply personal and not something she wants to share for financial gain.

2. Britney Spears said she still doesn't understand why she was placed under a conservatorship.

Britney was first placed under a conservatorship back in 2008 when she was going through a very public breakdown. 

Under the arrangement, her estate, plus financial and personal assets, were placed in the hands of her father and a lawyer (who was Andrew Wallet, before he quit in 2019, leaving her father with sole legal control).

Although Britney acknowledged that she struggling mentally at the time, she now feels that the conservatorship was "premeditated" – an alleged ploy from her family, particularly her father, to take control of her and her success.

"None of it made sense. Literally, the extent of my madness was playing chess [with] the paparazzi," she said.

"I remember my mum was sitting on the couch. And she said, we've heard people are coming here today to talk to you. We should probably go, you know, to a hotel or something. And I never really understood what she meant."

A few hours later, Britney said she was surrounded by hundreds of paparazzi as paramedics held her down on a wheeled stretcher, taking her to a mental health facility.

"I know now it was all premeditated."

She went on to allege that "a woman introduced the idea to my dad, and my mum actually helped him follow through and made it all happen". Britney also said at the time there were allegedly no drugs in her system, nor alcohol.

Listen to Mamamia Out Loud: Holly wants to apologise to Britney Spears. Post continues after audio.

3. Britney Spears said she was put to work only two weeks after her hospitalisation.

Two weeks after being wheeled off on a stretcher in front of the paparazzi, Britney said she was told she had to start performing again, per the orders from her father. What followed were years and years of constant work – much of which Britney has said she did against her will.

"My first job after the two weeks of being hospitalised and completely traumatised out of my mind, I did a TV show called How I Met Your Mother," she recounted in the video.

"Then I started working on an album called Circus and started working right away. All I do remember is I had to do what I was told. I just remember… my performances, I know were horrible. I even wore wigs and all the dancers were doing all these nice sexy head-flip turns… I was just like a robot. I thought they were trying to f**king kill me."

Britney went on to release four full-length albums under her iron-clad conservatorship: Circus (2008), Femme Fatale (2011), Britney Jean (2013) and Glory (2016). She also embarked on four global tours and a Las Vegas residency.

4. As the years went on, Britney Spears said her mental health seriously declined.

Britney said she felt she was "not even human" during her conservatorship, feeling like a workhorse. 

"I felt like my family threw me away. I was performing for thousands of people at night in Vegas… three training sessions a week, AA meetings, therapy sessions… I was a machine. I was a f**king machine. Not even human. My dad's in control. He loved to control everything I did."

Calling the whole situation "demoralising", Britney went on to say that she felt alone. 

"You also have to understand, it was like 15 years of touring and doing shows. And I [was] 30 years old, living under my dad's rules. And while all of this is going on, my mum's witnessing this, my brother, my friends – they all go along with it."

She went on to reference the fact that in the years since Britney's sister, Jamie Lynn, and their mother, Lynne Spears, have both said they did not know the full extent of what was happening to Britney and tried to support her throughout it. It's these claims that Britney has said make her feel hurt the most.

Britney Spears at her Las Vegas residency during the conservatorship. Image: Getty.

"I couldn't process how my family went along with it for so long… their only response was, 'We didn't know'. How the f**k  did they get away with it? How is there a God? Is there a God? I was so so weak… I was scared, broken. I'm sharing this because I want people to know I'm only human… how can I mend this, if I don't talk about this?"

5. When Britney Spears became aware of the #FreeBritney movement, it gave her hope.

After creating her 2016 album Glory, Britney said she started to become aware of the #FreeBritney social media movement, saying it "got the fire back" in her eyes. 

"Things kind of started taking a turn because I started getting more confidence just for myself," she reflected.

"I think with confidence comes enlightenment, which makes you think better. And that's the last thing they wanted me to do was to actually be better, because then who would be in control then. But it was really tricky because I had to just play this role that everything was okay all the time. And I had to go along with it because I knew they could hurt me."

6. Britney Spears explained that she's telling her story to make others feel less alone.

Britney's life has gone from strength to strength since the conservatorship ended.

She has married her long-term partner Sam Asghari, they hope to start a family together and she has even released new music. Britney's collab with Elton John 'Hold Me Closer' is now on the top of the charts across the world.

Reflecting on the direction her life has taken, she said: "I have an amazing song right now with one of the most brilliant men of our time, and I am so grateful.

"But if you are a weird, introvert oddball like me, who feels alone… and you needed to hear a story like this so you don't feel alone, know this: My life has been far from easy and you're not alone."

Feature Image: Getty/Twitter/YouTube/Mamamia. 

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