Britney Spears' dad Jamie told the court she had 'early-onset dementia' in her conservatorship documents.
The news first came to light last month, in BBC documentary The Battle For Britney, with reports suggesting Jamie, 68, made the claim in forms which gave him power over his 39-year-old daughter's finances.
Journalist Mobeen Azhar noted that Britney had ticked a box on the form which stated that his daughter's conservatorship was related to "dementia placement or treatment".
"There's only two options with that. Britney might have dementia. Now I'm not a doctor but if that's the case, then the world isn't aware of that. But the other option is actually more sinister," he said in the doc.
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"That's the idea that she doesn't have dementia but the conservatorship team have suggested that she has because they want to push the conservatorship through. And if that's the case, then that's terrifying."
At the time, many fans thought such claims were absurd, seeing as Britney had been on three world tours, released four albums and 16 music videos during her conservatorship.
And they are now discussing the revelation again, following the pop star's groundbreaking speech in court on Wednesday night, where she gave a criticism of her father and all those currently in charge of her, and likened her conservatorship to "slave labour".
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During her statement, Britney also hinted at her mental competency, without addressing the dementia claims directly.
She told the court how she had taught her dancers choreography herself - something many fans picked up on as a subtle retaliation against her father's claims.
"Britney is now CHALLENGING the dementia claims placed on her by saying 'I taught my dancers all the choreography MYSELF' - #FreeBritney," wrote one fan.
"If Britney has 'dementia' (which is presumably why she is in the conservatorship) There is no way in hell she could remember ANY of the dances or lyrics. My grandma had dementia and couldn't even remember her children's names. No way in hell Brit could remember, no way," said another.
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As a third wrote: "Britney is in a conservatorship because she is supposed to have dementia and not being able to take care of herself. All that while working everyday, without a break, doing dangerous choreos during her tours and remembering steps from multiple choreographies. #BritneySpeaks #freebritney (sic)".
Britney has been locked in her conservatorship since 2008 following admission into a psychiatric facility.
Her father, Jamie, has had total stewardship over the Britney's $60 million fortune, as well as having had the power to make medical decisions and business deals on her behalf. Jamie was then forced to split control with an attorney and a trust group in 2019.
And the hearing marks the first time Britney has spoken publicly about her conservatorship.
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Alongside comments hinting at her mental competency, the court also heard Britney describe the conservatorship as "abusive", and express desires to "sue [her] family".
"I just want my life back. All I want is to own my money and for my boyfriend to be able to drive me in his car. I want to sue my family," she said.
The mother-of-two added: "It's not OK to force me to do anything I don't want to. The conservatorship should end. I truly believe this conservatorship is abusive."
Britney said that she believed everyone involved in her conservatorship, including her father, should be imprisoned for the suffering she has had to endure.
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"I am not happy, I can't sleep. I'm so angry, it's insane. And I'm depressed," she said.
"My dad and anyone involved in this conservatorship, including my management ... they should be in jail."
She added, perhaps most gut-wrenchingly, that her freedoms were so compromised that she didn't even have control over her own body - with the conservators forcing her to be on contraception so she cannot have more children.
"I have an IUD in my body right now that won't let me have a baby and my conservators won't let me go to the doctor to take it out," she told the court. "I feel ganged up on. I feel bullied and I feel left out and alone."
"I want to be able to get married and have a baby," she added.
After hearing the singer's testimony, the Free Britney movement has been roaring even louder than normal, and fans around the globe have been calling for her conservatorship to be dropped.
Jamie has since responded to Britney's new bombshell claims, telling the court that he "loves his daughter".
"He is sorry to see is daughter suffering and in so much pain," the statement read. "Mr Spears loves his daughter very much."
Featured Image Credit: Instagram/ Britney SpearsTopics: Celebrity News, Britney Spears