Britney Spears’ father, Jamie Spears, is “struggling” with a serious health problem in the hospital, as “Page Six” reveals. Jamie Spears has been hospitalized for weeks in a special unit, according to the publication. A person close to the family reported that the 71-year-old is seriously ill.

The news comes after TMZ reported that in August Britney Spears’ father was hospitalized to deal with complications from knee surgery. Sources said at the time that Jamie had lost more than 25 pounds and was looking quite thin.

Recall that Jamie Spears was removed as guardian of Britney Spears in 2001, after the pop star’s allegations that her father took advantage of her psychiatric admission in 2008, to take over her life and property. On September 30, 2021, Britney Spears won her freedom after 13 years of strict guardianship by her father.

2007 was a difficult year for Britney Spears, as she split from her then-husband, dancer Kevin Federline, after three years of marriage, with whom they had two children. She shaved her head, hit a photographer’s car with an umbrella and was hospitalized for substance abuse. She also lost custody of her children after a period of joint custody with Federline.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Maria River Red (@britneyspears)

“Britney is on a healing journey, but a reconciliation with Jamie doesn’t seem likely,” a source told Page Six in August.

Her father has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing as her guardian, claiming he saved Britney’s life by placing her under guardianship in February 2008 while she struggled with her mental health.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Maria River Red (@britneyspears)

Britney’s father has been the target of a lot of criticism regarding his daughter’s legal status, not only from the singer herself, but also from the social movement #FreeBritney, which has pushed for a change in public perception about the controversial custody, which he has described as “a joke fueled by conspiracy theorists”.