Jamie Lynn Spears Tears Up in First TV Interview Since Britney Spears’ Conservatorship Ended – Variety

One week before the release of her memoir, Jamie Lynn Spears is sitting down for her first interview following the termination of her sister Britney Spears’ conservatorship.

“Um, I love my sister,” an emotional Spears says while wiping her tears in a teaser for the televised interview, which will air Wednesday on “Good Morning America.”

Speaking with ABC News’ “Nightline” anchor Juju Chang, the younger Spears sister is expected to discuss her book and her relationship with her world-famous sister and the rest of her family, whose involvement in the pop star’s 13-year conservatorship have come into question throughout the singer’s ongoing legal battle.

The conservatorship was terminated this past November, following the suspension of her father, Jamie Spears, who had overseen her finances and other aspects as of her life in his role as her conservator since the legal arrangement began in 2008.

“Things have gotten complicated?” the news anchor asks Jamie Lynn Spears, who responds, “I guess so.” Chang then asks, “What has caused this rift between you?”

Throughout her court proceedings, Britney Spears has repeatedly spoke out against her family, including Jamie Lynn. When she testified in June 2021, she told the judge she believes members of her family should be in jail for the “conservatorship abuse” she says she endured over the years.

In recent days, the pop star unfollowed her sister on Instagram, which garnered notice from her fans.

Spears — a former Nickelodeon actor who rose to teenage stardom as her older sister catapulted into one of the biggest global pop stars in music history — was part of the cast of “All That” and then her own series, “Zoey 101,” which ended shortly before her pregnancy at 16 years old became a major news scandal. After a long hiatus from acting and taking time to focus on raising her two daughters, the actor and singer is currently starring on Netflix’s “Sweet Magnolias.”

Last summer, the older Spears sister addressed the court to make claims about her family’s role in her conservatorship. “I would honestly like to sue my family, to be totally honest with you,” she testified in court. “I also would like to be able to share my story with the world, and what they did to me, instead of it being a hush-hush secret to benefit all of them. I want to be able to be heard on what they did to me by making me keep this in for so long … I’ve been so angry and I cry every day. It concerns me. I’m told I’m not allowed to expose the people who did this to me.”

After that testimony, Jamie Lynn took to Instagram to express support and explain why she did not speak up about the conservatorship earlier, saying, in part, that she is “so proud of her for using her voice.” However, the pop star’s fanbase took issue with her statement, especially as Britney has spoken out against her sister — sometimes explicitly, but mostly more covertly. Britney’s fans connected the dots on each and every word the singer seemingly says about her young sibling in her Instagram captions.

A few months back, the star referenced Jamie Lynn’s performance of her song “Till the World Ends” from the 2017 Radio Disney Music Awards, posting: “I don’t like that my sister showed up at an awards show and performed MY SONGS to remixes !!!!!”

And then in November, days after her conservatorship was terminated, the star said she would not be holding back with her claims about her family. “It still blows my mind every day I wake up how my family and the conservatorship were able to do what they did to me … It was demoralizing and degrading!!!! … I’m used to keeping peace for the family and keeping my mouth shut … but not this time … I have NOT FORGOTTEN and I hope they can look up tonight and know EXACTLY WHAT I MEAN !!!!”

Jamie Lynn has condemned negative feedback she has received on social media, sharing nasty and dangerous comments, including some that attack her own children, who are 13 and 3. She has said that she has received death threats.

“I’ve gotten beyond use to receiving the love and the hate from strangers, since before I ever even had a choice at the age of like 8,” she posted earlier this month on her Instagram stories, in response to a social media bully who wished rape on her young daughters. “You may not love me, and that’s fine, but THIS shouldn’t be tolerated under any circumstances, much less about innocent underage children.”

Given the attention on the conservatorship and timing of Jamie Lynn’s memoir, which will be released by Worthy Publishing on Jan. 18, the book has been the source of controversy.

Press leaks reported that the working title for the book was initially, “I Must Confess” — in reference to a line from her sister’s hit debut single, 1998’s “Baby One More Time.” After swift backlash, the publisher said the title was “incorrect” and “incomplete,” and then announced the official title for the book is “Things I Should Have Said.”

The book is said to cover the former Nickelodeon star’s journey as a mother, sister, daughter, actress and musician. Originally, Jamie Lynn announced she would be donating book proceeds to the mental health organization, This Is My Brave, but the nonprofit rejected the offer for the donation, bowing to criticism from fans of the pop star who said they were offended given the ongoing conservatorship saga.

Here is a first look at the interview, which will air Wednesday on “Good Morning America” and “Nightline.”