Jamie Lynn Spears: what did Britney Spears’ sister say in new book - and Good Morning America interview

Pop singer Britney Spears famously had her almost 14 year long conservatorship terminated in November of 2020, and since then has been very vocal with her criticisms of her family - including younger sister Jamie Lynne Spears.

Jamie Lynn has recently released her new memoir, called Things I Should Have Said, in which she discusses life with Britney and her conservatorship - something which the Toxic singer has branded as exploitative.

This is everything you need to know.

What did Jamie Lynn Spears say in her new memoir?

In her new memoir, titled Things I Should Have Said, Jamie Lynn revealed that Britney’s testimony from June 2021, which described her almost 14 year long conservatorship as “abusive”, resulted in death threats for the family.

Jamie Lynn wrote: “I continued to protect her until just recently, when she decided I didn’t need protecting and threw me to the proverbial media wolves.”

She added that she “only ever had [Britney’s] back” growing up together.

In the “My Testimony” section of her book, Jamie Lynn wrote “at no point did my sister lift the veil on what or who is truly responsible for her challenges” and that “[Britney’s] diatribe assigns blame outward without any self-reflection”.

She added: “Britney’s impassioned statements included the wrongdoings of everyone involved, without any reference to herself.”

A portion of Jamie Lynn’s book sales were originally going to go to the mental health organisation This Is My Brave, however the nonprofit declined the donations from the memoir following backlash.

In a statement, This Is My Brave said: “We heard you. We’re taking action. We are deeply sorry to anyone we offended.

“We are declining the donation from Jamie Lynn Spears’ upcoming book.”

What did she say on Good Morning America?

Speaking to Juju Chang on Good Morning America about when the conservatorship was dissolved, Jamie Lynn said: “I was happy.”

She added that when the conservatorship was put in place: “I was a 17-year-old, I was about to have a baby, so I didn’t understand what was happening, nor was I focused on that.

“I was focused on the fact that I was a 17-year-old about to have a baby. I understand just as little about it then as I do now.”

In her first TV interview about the book she said she spoke to her sister’s legal team, and added that she has “always been my sister’s biggest supporter”.

During the interview, she also said that “the love is still there” and that she “only ever loved her and done what’s right by her, and she knows that, so I don’t know why we’re in this position right now”.

How did Britney Spears respond?

Britney Spears accused her sister of using her Good Morning America interview to sell her new book “at my expense”.

She added that her younger sister “never had to work for anything” and that she had always been “the bigger person”.

Writing on Twitter, the world famous pop star said: “I looked at my phone and I see that my sister did her interview to promote her book.

“The two things that did bother me that my sister said was how my behaviour was out of control.

“She was never around me much 15 years ago at that time…so why are we even talking about that unless she wants to sell a book at my expense.

“I wrote a lot of my songs and my sister was the baby. She never had to work for anything.

“Everything was always given to her.

“I always was the bigger person. They all got to do it and play me and I always sat there and took it.

“I do remember asking my sister why she did that when she knew I was waiting to change my show and her only words were “well, it wasn’t my idea’…”

She added: “Hope your book does well Jamie Lynn”.

Jamie Lynn replied via an Instagram statement, claiming that her book “is not about her”.

However, according to Page Six, “Jamie Lynn does mention Britney’s name a whopping 280 times in 225 pages”.

What was Jamie Lynn Spears’ role in her sisters conservatorship?

In her Good Morning America interview, Jamie Lynn talked about the role that she was “asked to play” in her sister’s conservatorship.

She said: “There was a time where my sister asked me, of her trust and will, if I would be the person who assured that her boys got what they needed.

“Whether she’s in a conservatorship or not, that was a very normal thing, I thought.

“Once I realised that, you know what, she’s in a conservatorship, I felt like I just didn’t want to be part of until maybe she was out of the conservatorship. So there was no, like, me overseeing funds or something like that.

“And if that was, then it was a misunderstanding. But either way, I took no steps to be part of it.”

When asked by Chang if she “didn’t always agree with the conservatorship”, Jamie Lynn said: “So when she needed help, I set up ways to do so, went out of my way to make sure she had the contacts she needed to possibly go ahead and end this conservatorship and just end this all for our family.

“It wasn’t about agreeing with the conservatorship, everyone has a voice and it should be heard.

“I even spoke to her legal team, her previous legal team, and that did not end well in my favour.

“So I did take the steps to help, but how many times can I take the steps without, you know, she has to walk through the door.”

Did Britney Spears send her sister a cease and desist?

Britney has sent a cease and desist letter to her younger sister over the new book, sent via her attorney Mathew Rosengart, which demands that Jamie Lynn “cease and desist from referencing Britney derogatorily during your promotional campaign” for the book.

In the letter, Rosengart wrote: “As you know, I represent your sister Britney Spears, and I write at her request concerning the above referenced matter.

“We write with some hesitation because the last thing Britney wants is to bring more attention to your ill timed book and its misleading or outrageous claims about her.”

It continues: “Although Britney has not read and does not intend to read your book, she and millions of her fans were shocked to see how you have exploited her for monetary gain.

“She will not tolerate it, nor should she.”

The letter states: “You of all people know the abuse and wrongdoing Britney had to endure during the conservatorship, after initially growing up with a “ruinous” alcoholic father.

“In fact, your own book reportedly states your father “spent most of my life in that cycle of ruinous behaviour. His bouts of drinking caused me periods of torment and sorrow”.”

In the legal letter, Rosengart added: “As I have previously stated, having endured a 13-year conservatorship that stripped her of civil rights and fundamental liberties, Britney will no longer be bullied by her father or anyone else.

“Britney was the family’s breadwinner and she also otherwise supported you. Publicly airing false or fantastical grievances is wrong, especially when designed to sell books. It is also potentially unlawful and defamatory.”

In the letter, Rosengart says that “publicly airing false or fantastical grievances is wrong, especially when designed to sell books” and that “it is also potentially unlawful and defamatory”.

The letter also goes on to say: “Michelle Obama famously said, ‘When they go low, we go high,’ and to Britney’s great credit, that is exactly what Britney is going to do, for the time being.

“You recently reportedly stated that the book was ‘not about her.’ She takes you at your word and we, therefore, demand that you cease and desist from referencing Britney derogatorily during your promotional campaign.

“If you fail to do so or defame her, Britney will be forced to consider and take all appropriate legal action.”

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