Spears urges judge to end guardianship

Britney Spears urged a judge in an emotional hearing on Wednesday to end an "abusive" guardianship that gave her father control of her affairs in 2008.

"I just want my life back. It’s been 13 years and it’s enough," Spears said in the 20-minute address via videolink as diehard fans chanted their support outside the courtroom. The 39-year-old star’s finances and personal life have been largely managed by Jamie Spears since her highly public breakdown more than a decade ago, leading some fans to launch a "FreeBritney" online campaign in recent years.

In a speech where Spears barely stopped to catch her breath, the star said that, under the legal arrangement, she has been prevented from having a contraceptive implant removed, despite wanting more children.

The mother of two said it had left her "traumatised" and "depressed." "I’m not happy. I can’t sleep. I’m so angry. It’s insane," she said, adding that she cries every day. "I truly believe this conservatorship is abusive. I want changes, I deserve changes," Spears pleaded to Judge Brenda Penny.

The singer has rarely spoken directly about the guardianship but her lawyer Samuel Ingham said in April that Spears wanted to directly address the court, resulting in Wednesday’s hearing.

Spears has long had a difficult relationship with her father. Last year, she filed to remove him from the conservatorship and give sole power over her estate to a financial institution. Her court-appointed lawyer said she was "afraid" of her father.

Devoted Spears fans have long scoured her social media accounts for hints about her well-being, and any sign that she may be eager to throw off the guardianship. Confidential records published Tuesday by the New York Times said Spears told a court investigator that the conservatorship had "become an oppressive and controlling tool against her" as far back as 2016.