Jamie Spears

James Parnell Spears was born to June Austin Spears (1930–2012), and Emma Jean Spears (née Forbes; 1934–1966).[5] When he was 13, his mother committed suicide on the grave of her infant son following a miscarriage. He also survived a car accident that killed a football teammate aged 17.[6] His upbringing was difficult, as his daughter Jamie Lynn wrote in her memoir: "My father was raised by an abusive father who made unreasonable demands of his son in all aspects of his life. Daddy was forced to practice sports for hours at a time—past the point of exhaustion. For basketball, Paw-Paw June made Daddy shoot one hundred shots after practice. Daddy loved basketball, but his father made him abandon the court for the football field. He followed his father’s directive to play college football, knowing all along he would have been much more impactful as a basketball player."[7]

Spears' first wife was Debbie Sanders Cross, who remains his friend.[6] In the mid-1970s, Spears worked as a welder and boilermaker.[4][8] In July 1976, he married his second wife, Lynne Irene Bridges. She filed for divorce in 1980, requesting a temporary restraining order, fearing that he would "become angry when he is served with these papers" and harass or harm her, "especially if he has been drinking alcoholic beverages, as he has done in the past." However, they reconciled, and Britney was born the following year.[6] In the 1980s, Spears ran a successful construction business, and he and Lynne decided to build and own a health and wellness spa.[4][9] He became well-known for developing businesses, including the first gym in their area in Louisiana. He also owned a seafood restaurant called Granny’s, which he eventually gave to his son Bryan, who has since sold the restaurant.[8]

Jamie and Lynne Spears divorced in May 2002[10] and reconciled without remarrying around 2010.[11][12] They were seen still united in 2014,[13] but were evidently completely separated by 2020. They have three children: son Bryan Spears (born 1977) and daughters Britney Spears (born 1981) and Jamie Lynn Spears (born 1991). They also have five grandchildren.[14]

Spears struggled with alcohol later in life and eventually went to rehab in 2004.[15][16] He suffered a near-fatal colon rupture in November 2018.[17] Spears underwent emergency surgery and was hospitalized for 28 days.[18] In October 2023, People magazine reported that Spears was hospitalized with a bacterial infection, and is recovering in an infectious disease outpatient facility.[18]

Spears came to prominence as a public figure in 2019 with the rise of a movement to terminate his daughter's conservatorship, dubbed #FreeBritney.[19] This movement garnered support from a number of celebrities, including Cher, Paris Hilton, and Miley Cyrus, as well as the nonprofit organization American Civil Liberties Union.[20][21][22][23] On April 22, 2019, fans protested outside the West Hollywood City Hall to demand Britney's release from the psychiatric facility where she had been staying since Spears's illness in January.[24]

During a May 2019 hearing, Judge Brenda Penny ordered "an expert evaluation" of the conservatorship.[25] In September 2019, Britney's ex-husband Kevin Federline obtained a restraining order against him following an alleged physical altercation between Spears and one of Britney's sons.[26] Britney's longtime care manager, Jodi Montgomery, temporarily replaced Spears as her conservator of the person on September 10, 2019.[27] In the same month, a hearing resulted in "no decisions made" about the conservatorship arrangement.[28]

In August 2020, Spears called the #FreeBritney movement "a joke" and its organizers "conspiracy theorists".[29] On August 17, 2020, Britney's court-appointed lawyer submitted a court filing that documented her desire to have her conservatorship altered to reflect "her current lifestyle and her stated wishes", to instate Montgomery as her permanent conservator, and to replace Spears with "a qualified corporate fiduciary" as conservator of her estate.[30] Four days later, Judge Penny extended the established arrangement until February 2021.[31] In November 2020, Judge Penny approved Bessemer Trust as co-conservator with Spears of his daughter's estate.[32] A documentary focusing over his daughter's career and Spears's conservatorship over her, Framing Britney Spears, premiered on FX in February 2021.[33] The same month, Jamie Spears' lawyer Vivian L. Thoreen spoke to Good Morning America in her client’s defense, saying that she understands "that every story needs a villain, but people have it so wrong here. This is a story about a fiercely loving, dedicated, and loyal father who rescued his daughter from a life-threatening situation. People were harming her and they were exploiting her. Jamie saved Britney’s life."[34]

On June 23, 2021, Britney gave testimony regarding her father, stating that he sent her to a rehab and mental facility against her will in January 2019. She also stated that she is afraid of him and that he has committed "conservatorship abuse". Britney said he should not be able to walk away and that he should go to jail for his actions.[35] On September 7, 2021, Spears filed a petition to end the conservatorship over his daughter.[36] Judge Brenda Penny suspended Spears as conservator on September 29, 2021.[37] On November 12, 2021, the conservatorship was terminated by Judge Penny following Britney's public testimony in which she accused her management team and family of abuse.[38][39]

In September 2022, Britney's former husband Kevin Federline said in an interview with 60 Minutes, that he 100 percent believed the conservatorship saved her life, saying: "When Jamie took over (the conservatorship), things got into order. He saved her life."[40][41][42] Spears' grandson Jayden Federline stated in the same interview that his grandfather only had good intentions, saying: "He was trying to be like any father, like, pursue his daughter’s dream of being a superstar, working and doing all these concerts and performing. But I think some people are just, like, ceasing to realize how much he cares about her."[43] Spears hasn't given interviews, except in December 2022, when he told UK's The Mail on Sunday: "Not everybody's going to agree with me. It's been one hell of a time. But I love my daughter with all my heart and soul. Where would Britney be right now without that conservatorship? And I don't know if she'd be alive. I don’t. For protecting her, and also protecting the kids, conservatorship was a great tool. Without it, I don't think she would have got the kids back."[44][45]

• Dr. Phil's consultation meant to be private: Spears family at Wikinews