Leave Britney alone! Yesterday, fans staged a full-on “Free Britney” protest demanding the pop star be released from a treatment facility in response to online rumors that Spears was being held against her will. But Spears took to Instagram today to set the rumors straight. “All is well. My family has been going through a lot of stress and anxiety lately and I just needed time to deal,” she says in a video. “But don’t worry. I’ll be back really soon.”
She accompanied the selfie video with a long caption, mentioning fake emails crafted by her former manager Sam Lutfi. “Don’t believe everything you read and hear. These fake emails everywhere were crafted by Sam Lutfi years ago… I did not write them,” she writes. “He was pretending to be me and communicating with my team with a fake email address.” Presumably, she’s referring to rumors that she was put in the facility by her management team.
According to Billboard, Spears checked herself into a 30-day program last month in the midst of her father’s ongoing health issues. On Sunday, she was granted a one-day leave to celebrate Easter with her family. Check out her message below.
I wanted to say hi, because things that are being said have just gotten out of control!!! Wow!!! There’s rumors, death threats to my family and my team, and just so many things crazy things being said. I am trying to take a moment for myself, but everything that’s happening is just making it harder for me. Don’t believe everything you read and hear. These fake emails everywhere were crafted by Sam Lutfi years ago… I did not write them. He was pretending to be me and communicating with my team with a fake email address. My situation is unique, but I promise I’m doing what’s best at this moment 🌸🌸🌸 You may not know this about me, but I am strong, and stand up for what I want! Your love and dedication is amazing, but what I need right now is a little bit of privacy to deal with all the hard things that life is throwing my way. If you could do that, I would be forever grateful. Love you ❤️❤️❤️
A version of this article originally appeared on Stereogum.
