Britney Spears’ father defends his role as the singer’s legal guardian

“I love my daughter and I miss her very much,” her father has now told CNN.

“When a family member needs special care and protection, families need to step up, as I have done for the last 12-plus years, to safeguard, protect and continue to love Britney unconditionally.

“I have and will continue to provide unwavering love and fierce protection against those with self-serving interests and those who seek to harm her or my family.”

Jamie Spears temporarily stepped aside from the conservator role, citing his own health problems in 2019.

In August this year, court documents stated that Britney wanted her manager Jodi Montgomery, who stepped in for her father during his absence, to permanently oversee her personal affairs.

In November, the singer’s lawyer also said she lived in fear of her father and would not resume live performances while he remained in control of her career.

In papers filed, her court-appointed lawyer Samuel D. Ingham argued that the star would suffer “loss and injury” if her father was allowed to retain his position.

James Spears’ attorney, Vivian Lee Thoreen, hit back at the claims and said James had taken the singer out of debt to a net worth of more than $60million (£44.5million).

Thoreen argued that the disruption caused by his removal would do the singer the very harm the suspension is meant to prevent.

This comes amid the ongoing #FreeBritney campaign, which claims that the singer is being controlled by James.