Britney Spears has spoken out for the first time to address news of her divorce, which broke earlier this week.
Posting on Instagram, along with a video of her dancing, Spears confirmed that she and her husband of 14 months, Sam Asghari — whose birth name is Hesam Asghari — have split.
“As everyone knows, Hesam and I are no longer together,” Spears wrote in her caption. “6 years is a long time to be with someone so, I’m a little shocked but … I’m not here to explain why because its honestly nobody’s business !!! But, I couldn’t take the pain anymore honestly !!!”
Spears thanked her friends for messages she’s been receiving, and addressed her family troubles in her caption.
“I’ve been playing it strong for way too long and my Instagram may seem perfect but it’s far from reality and I think we all know that,” Spears wrote. “I would love to show my emotions and tears on how I really feel but some reason I’ve always had to hide my weaknesses !!! If I wasn’t my dad’s strong soldier, I would be sent away to places to get fixed by doctors !!! But that’s when I needed family the most !!! You’re supposed to be loved unconditionally … not under conditions !!!! So I will be as strong as I can and do my best !!! And I’m actually doing pretty damn good !!!”
Spears caption on Instagram accompanied a video of her dancing to Janet Jackson’s song “If,” smiling as she lip syncs the rather telling lyrics: “If I was your girl, oh, the things I’d do to you. I’d make you call out my name, I’d ask who it belongs to. If I was your woman, the things I’d do to you. But I’m not, so I can’t. Then I won’t. But if I was your girl.”
PvNew previously reported that Spears has hired Hollywood divorce lawyer Laura Wasser to represent her in the separation, along with her longstanding attorney Mathew Rosengart, who famously got her out of her 13-year conservatorship in 2021.
Asghari filed for divorce on August 16 in Los Angeles, citing “irreconcilable differences.” In documents obtained byPvNew, he listed the date of separation as July 28, 2023, and is asking for spousal support and attorney’s fees.
After news of the divorce broke, tabloid media reports claimed that Asghari was threatening Spears to pay him more than what their prenuptial agreement provided. But in a statement to PvNew, a representative for Asghari denied those reports: “There are many claims that Sam is challenging the prenup and threatening to exploit his ex-wife with videos,” says Asghari’s rep, Brandon Cohen. “However, all these claims are false, as no negative intention has ever been directed towards her and never will be. Sam has always and will always support her.”
A source told PvNew that the prenup is “rock solid” to ensure Spears’ protection.
Asghari and Spears first met on the set of her 2016 music video for “Slumber Party.” After dating for more than five years, they were engaged in September 2021, and got married in June 2022. The wed in an intimate ceremony at Spears’ home in Thousand Oaks, Calif., in front of around 60 guests, including Madonna, Selena Gomez, Drew Barrymore and Paris Hilton.
Asghari is a fitness trainer, model and actor. Since being with Spears, he has appeared in shows including “Black Monday” and “Hacks.”
When Spears and Asghari were engaged, she was still under a conservatorship. In June 2021, when the singer testified in court, she shared her desire to get married and have more children, but alleged she did not have permission to do so. “I would like to progressively move forward and I want to have the real deal, I want to be able to get married and have a baby. I was told right now in the conservatorship, I’m not able to get married or have a baby,” Spears pleaded to the judge.
Spears’ conservatorship was terminated in November 2021. The month after, a judge granted Spears the power to executive documents on her own for the first time in over 13 years, which would include signing off on a marriage license. “She has the power to do whatever she wants to do,” her attorney, Rosengart, said to reporters outside of the courthouse. Roughly six months later, the couple was married.
Spears’ marriage to Asghari was her third. The former couple does not share any children together. The superstar has two teenage sons, Sean and Jayden, with her second husband, Kevin Federline, her former backup dancer to whom she was married from 2004 to 2007. The singer’s first marriage was to her childhood friend, Jason Alexander, which was annulledin 2004 after they were married for a total of 55 hours. In 2022, Alexander crashed Spears’ wedding to Asghari and was arrested for trespassing at her home.
