Britney Spears’ father, Jamie Spears, is reportedly recovering after he was hospitalized for a bacterial infection. Page Six was the first to report Thursday that Jamie, 71, “has been hospitalized for weeks in a special infectious disease facility” after he fell “severely ill.” A source told the outlet that Jamie “has been suffering with a bad infection that has required surgery.” PEOPLE later confirmed in a report published Friday morning that Jamie is now recovering at an infectious disease outpatient facility. Representatives for Jamie have not commented on the situation.
The reports come after TMZ reported in August that Jamie was hospitalized “several months ago” after he developed complications following a knee replacement 16 years ago. The outlet reported at the time that Jamie was scheduled to undergo surgery to clear the infection, with TMZ also reporting that he “lost more than 25 pounds and is extremely thin.” Sources with direct knowledge told the outlet that amid her father’s illness, Spears was considering reconciling with her father. Prior to his most recent health struggles, Jamie underwent two emergency surgeries for a ruptured colon in 2019.
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The singer and her dad have had a notably contentious relationship ever since Spears was placed under a conservatorship in 2008 to oversee her life and finances. The conservatorship came under increased scrutiny in recent years by fans and outside observers. In November 2021, Spears’ conservatorship was terminated after Spears gave explosive testimony.
“I would honestly like to sue my family, to be totally honest with you,” Spears said during a June 2021 court hearing. “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’m not happy. I can’t sleep. I’m so angry. It’s insane. And I’m depressed.”
While Spears’ relationship with her father remains rocky – in June 2022, Jamie’s lawyers filed paperwork to compel a deposition from Spears, claiming in court documents that Spears stands to make a reported $15 million from an upcoming tell-all book, The Woman in Me – her relationship with her mother, Lynne Spears, has softened. In May, Spears revealed that he visited her home for the first time in three years, the “Lucky” singer writing in an Instagram post at the time, “It’s been such a long time … with family there’s always things that need to be worked out … but time heals all wounds !!!”
