Getty Jamie Spears pictured in 2008 at his daughter's divorce hearing.
Jamie Spears, Britney Spears’ dad, ruptured his colon in November 2018, resulting in his immediate hospitalization. Due to his condition, Spears has announced the cancelation of her “Domination” residency at the Park MGM resort in Las Vegas. In a statement on January 4, the singer said, “I am dedicating my focus and energy to care for my family. We have a very special relationship and I want to be with my family at this time just like they have always been there for me. Thank you to all my fans for your continued love and support during this time. I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused and I look forward to the time when I can be back on stage performing for all of you.”
Britney Spears was born to Jamie Parnell Spears and Lynne Irene Bridges in McComb, Mississippi, in 1981. The couple has two other children, Bryan James, born in 1977, and Jamie Lynn, born in 1991, having married in 1975. Their first date had been at an Elton John concert in New Orleans. In 2002, the couple divorced but by 2010, they were widely reported to have gotten back together.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. Jamie Has Not Remarried Britney’s Mom
In November 2010, People Magazine reported that Jamie and Lynne Spears had reconciled. A source told the magazine at the time, “They are back together and are doing well and happy. [They’re] not remarried but back together.” In 2002, at the time of her parents’ divorce, Spears told People, “It’s the best thing that’s ever happened to my family. My mom and dad, bottom line, do not get along. When I was a baby, they argued.”
2. Jamie Is Widely Credited With Saving His Daughter’s Life in 2007
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In 2007, as Spears endured numerous mental health problems, Jamie said that he began to dedicate his life to his daughter. Jamie was quoted as saying that he feared waking up to a call from the coroner regarding his daughter, according to a 2009 Los Angeles Times feature. By 2008, Jamie had become his daughter’s conservator, a role he continues into this day. For a time in 2012, Jamie shared the role of conservator with Spears’ then-fiance Jason Trawick. That arrangement ended when Trawick and Spears ended their engagement.
US Weekly reported in March 2016 that Jamie was being paid $130,000 per year for his role with his daughter. The same magazine reported two years later that he was seeking to end his role as conservator with his daughter.
Jamie’s newfound role in his daughter’s life was reported to have been one of the reasons for his reconciliation with his wife.
3. Jamie Has Been Described as Dysfunctional Alcoholic by His Wife Who Never Completed His Vasectomy Procedure
GettyJamie’s wife pictured with the couple’s other daughter, Lynne Spears.
Jamie’s ex-wife described her husband as a dysfunctional alcoholic in her 2008 memoir, “Through the Storm: A Real Story of Fame and Family in a Tabloid World.” An Entertainment Weekly review of the book says that Lynne writes of her husband being an “alcoholic who drags a would-be happy Southern family down the road to dysfunction.” Lynne says of her husband’s drinking, “It was just that kind of social drinking that ended up pulling Jamie and all of us beneath that undertow of alcoholism again.”
Another section of the book says that Lynne being pregnant with the couple’s third child was a major shock as Jamie was supposed to have gotten a vasectomy at that stage. According to Lynne, he never went a follow-up consultation to ensure the procedure was a success.
In 2009, Courtney Love posted completely unfounded allegations about Jamie on her Facebook page. The former rocker wrote, “britneys dad molested her , imagine the father that molested you owning you for slavery while your forced to sing songs picked for thier sexual content every night, insane right? i have it on First had authority, and fight as hard as she is and does she still didnt pull that card, its a pride thing i can relate to, However they want to play dirty, lets go, Im SO not affraid of the little trolls who hit this when i was f***** up who are called lawyers. lets GO.”
4. Jamie Has Been Heavily Involved in His Daughter’s Child Support Battle With Kevin Federline
During the summer of 2018, it was widely reported that Jamie had offered his daughter’s ex-husband Kevin Federline more money in an attempt to end the former dancer’s legal disagreements with Spears. The couple has two sons, Sean, 12, and Jayden, 11. They share custody of the boys.
The Blast reported that Jamie was offering Federline $10,000 extra per month in order to end custody disagreements he had with Spears. Though the gossip site added that Federline’s lawyers wanted him to hold out for more money. Jamie was later reported to have said that he believed Federline was spending child support money on his other four children.
5. Jamie Has Never Appeared on Stage With His Daughter
Jamie’s cooking was profiled by the Las Vegas Review-Journal in February 2014. During the interview, Jamie said that he had never appeared on stage with his daughter and wouldn’t even if he was asked to. The piece also mentions Jamie’s fandom of the Louisiana State University Tigers. Despite never appearing with his daughter, Jamie said of her Vegas show, “I never miss a show. I love the show… It’s the best show in Vegas. It is. She’s an “A” class performer, so she deserves an “A”-class show.”
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