The Project hosts admit to not believing the #FreeBritney movement before she spoke in court

Two Project panellists have admitted to not giving much credit to the Free Britney movement before her monumental day in court.

Bianca Mastroianni

2 min read

June 25, 2021 - 7:46AM

Tuning into The Project, it was expected that the panel were going to touch on the biggest story of the day – Britney Spears’ court appearance.

“Britney Spears has asked a court to end her 13-year conservatorship because she claimed she had been abused and exploited by her family and carers, likening her situation to that of a sex trafficking victim. She told the judge she deserves to have a life,” they explained during the segment.

After hearing audio from Spears’ trial, with the 39-year-old pleading to the judge to give her her life back, the panellists couldn’t help but sympathise with the star who has been through this 13-year conservatorship.

“It is heartbreaking,” said Lisa Wilkinson. “Just hearing her speak like that, she’s a woman who’s been destroyed by the people around her and the very fame that once upon a time, as a little girl, when you first saw her sing, you saw that incredible amount of talent and it has all been destroyed.”

Lisa Wilkinson has called the entire ordeal 'heartbreaking'. Picture: Channel 10

Most interestingly was Waleed Aly and Peter Helliar admitting that they hadn’t given the #FreeBritney movement much credit before Spears spoke about it.

“Obviously we have heard the #FreeBritney things bubble along for a bit. We never

had any flesh on the bones. Feels like today is the first hint of that,” Aly said.

For Helliar, he stated that perhaps not many people had been paying close attention, thinking it could have been something that fans had possibly taken too far.

“If you are not paying attention to this and a lot of us have not been, really, you were not sure what to make of the Free Britney movement,” he said.

“Because a lot of fan movements are nuts, right?” added Aly.

Peter Helliar admits to not having paid much attention to the #FreeBritney movement before this. Picture: Channel 10

“Well, this movement has absolutely been based off facts, and today seemed like a huge win for Britney”.

Speaking in court for the first time, Spears made some huge revelations about her situation that she has been stuck in for 13 years.

Spears spoke for around 20 minutes, and didn’t hold back, calling the conservatorship arrangement – which has seen her father Jamie Spears and others control her life and finances since shortly after her 2007 breakdown – “abusive”.

Read in full (as per Variety), it paints an alarming picture of Spears’ deteriorating quality of life in recent years, as she claims she was drugged, forced to perform and denied many basic rights.

Britney's personal and financial life has been controlled by her father Jamie. Picture: Getty Images

One of the most alarming things Spears’ addressed was the sick control that her father has over her body.

Spears stated that all she wants is to marry her boyfriend Sam Asghari and have more children, but her father’s tight grip over her life via a 13-year conservatorship is inhibiting her from taking control.

The successful popstar, who is worth an estimated $60 million, alleged her father forced her to implant an IUD birth control device in her body and has actively prevented her from having it removed by a doctor.