NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Entertainment

Spears clan want Britney 'committed', blast Dr Phil's 'betrayal'

By Myrddin Gwynedd
20 Jan, 2008 09:49 PM5 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Britney Spears - always a picture of stability. Photo / Reuters

Britney Spears - always a picture of stability. Photo / Reuters

KEY POINTS:

Former American sweetheart Britney Spears graces the front cover of the latest issue of Ok! Magazine with her two boys.
It's a heartwarming portrait that belies the truth about a troubled young woman whose sanity is hanging by a thread.
Eerily, Spears declares in the magazine interview that
she'd "die for her boys" - a sentiment that's all the more chilling given her seemingly disposable attitude towards life.
What makes the mag's cover photo all the more poignant is the fact that it was Spears' last photo taken with her boys before they were handed over to K-Fed for full custody.
Intervention
Britney Spears is a mess and needs help - quickly - before she burns out and fades away completely.
Mercifully, her family is reportedly now of the same opinion.
TMZ claims that Britney's parents - her dad in particular - has been earnestly trying to get his daughter committed to a mental hospital, for what he thinks is a bipolar disorder, for months.
Dad Jamie Spears has been vocal about his opinion that Britney is suffering from a mental disorder and not a drug abuse problem for a while, and now we know why.
He's reportedly been crafting various plots to get her committed, but that Spears has flatly refused to undergo any tests which could confirm her supposed bipolar condition.
TMZ also states that Spears' parents believe that their daughter's best mate Sam Lutfi has been instrumental in her refusal to seek help.
The parents are so furious with Lutfi, they allegedly threw him out of the Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre last Friday when Spears was admitted for medical intervention.
Britney Spears will be getting professional help - whether she likes it or not.
Her family members are said to now be working together to hatch a series of crafty plans to get Brit Brit some mental help.
TMZ says the family's intervention will be swift, and that it will definitely happen.
Spears has so far declined any help and is on a rampage of self destruction.
Sources say that the Spears clan is considering a "series of options", some of which are "creative".
One of least likely options is that they will go to court and gain an order which will force Spears to seek in-patient treatment.
A more credible option could be that Spears would be collared by cops again under a "5150", which basically means she'd be whisked off to hospital (a la Freaky Friday), and admitted to a psych unit.
Meanwhile, the folk in white suits would meet with the County Public Guardian, who could go to court and seek a "conservatorship".
That conservator would basically take control of Spears' life.
Stay tuned for updates...
In other Britney news&
LAPD officers are said to have issued a restraining order against Spears last week after her spectacular stand-off with the law.
Called an "emergency protective order," the officers issued the order to "stabilize the situation," says Kevin Federline's attorney, Mark Vincent Kaplan.
LAPD spokesman Mike Lopez says: "The person it's placed upon would have to stay approximately 100 feet from the other person, or face arrest.
"In most cases, it's issued by officers when there's the possibility of imminent and immediate danger to the victim."
K-Fed's lawyer adds: "Kevin doesn't want to keep his kids from being involved in [Spears's] life. But foremost is that the kids be in an environment of structure [and] stability. The next goal is to get things to a point where both parents are able to participate fully in their [children's] lives."
Spears family slam Dr. Phil
Britney Spears' family is gunning for TV psych Dr. Phil after he breached their trust and spoke to the media about his visit to see Spears in hospital last week.
Speaking via their representative Lou Taylor on US Television, the Spears clan feel betrayed by "self-serving" Dr. Phil, after he spoke out publicly about the troubled pop princess.
Taylor told the Today show that Dr. Phil had breached their trust by blabbing about his visit, and that they never agreed to appear on his television show either.
"He was not invited to make this a public display," says Taylor.
"What's wrong with Dr. Phil's statement is that he made a statement.
"The family, basically, extended an invitation of trust for him to come in as a resource to support them, not to go out and make public statements."
Click here if you dare to watch the TV segment in full.
Meanwhile, the photo agency embroiled in a scandal for supposedly touting candid pictures of Spears to the press, is claiming Brit Brit and paparazzo boytoy Adnan Ghalib are an item.
"Britney Spears and Adnan Ghalib ARE happily dating," says agency Finalpixx in a statement posted on their website.
Adding that 35-year-old married Ghalib "is absolutely NOT shopping his story."
Stay tuned to this blog for Britney updates as they unfold.
Fast gossip
Give me five minutes, and I'll tell you everything...
Sean Penn caught with two drunken Russian girls: Hollywood Rag
Sophie Monk is single...or is she?: IDLYITW
Madonna is all the rage in India: I'm Not Obsessed
Jessica Alba is a hypocrite: VH1 Blog
Lily Allen is asking for trouble: Holy Moly!
Amy Winehouse goes blonde: Socialitelife
Kim Cattrall is being picked on for not having lipo?: Celebitchy

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Save

    Share this article

Latest from Entertainment

Entertainment

Bruce Willis' family shares touching moments amid health battle

24 Jun 01:44 AM
Entertainment

'28 Years Later': Ralph Fiennes stars in new Danny Boyle horror film

23 Jun 08:25 AM
Entertainment

Johnny Depp has ‘empty-nest syndrome’

23 Jun 08:24 AM

Inside Leigh Hart’s bonkers quest to hand-deliver a SnackaChangi chip to every Kiwi

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Entertainment

Bruce Willis' family shares touching moments amid health battle

Bruce Willis' family shares touching moments amid health battle

24 Jun 01:44 AM

His daughters have posted snaps of their time with the 70-year-old star.

'28 Years Later': Ralph Fiennes stars in new Danny Boyle horror film

'28 Years Later': Ralph Fiennes stars in new Danny Boyle horror film

23 Jun 08:25 AM
Johnny Depp has ‘empty-nest syndrome’

Johnny Depp has ‘empty-nest syndrome’

23 Jun 08:24 AM
Premium
Disneyland Aotearoa: Is it a dream worth considering?

Disneyland Aotearoa: Is it a dream worth considering?

23 Jun 03:00 AM
Why wallpaper works wonders
sponsored

Why wallpaper works wonders

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP