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Britney Spears’ ex-husband, Kevin Federline, has come out swinging in support of the pop star and her ongoing legal battle against her conservatorship.
Britney (39) recently broke her silence about the arrangement that has allowed her father, Jamie Spears, to control her personal life and her assets since 2008 following her public meltdown.
Kevin (43), who was married to Britney from 2004 to 2007, believes a healthy and happy Britney would be the best thing for the former couple’s sons, Sean Preston (15) and Jayden (14).
“And if either of those things aren’t true, it doesn’t provide for the best setting for custody to be exercised,”
Kevin “respects” the singer and “only hopes [for] the best for her because when the best for her is achieved, it’s the best for their kids”, Kevin’s lawyer, Mark Vincent Kaplan, told People.
However, Kevin has concerns regarding the idea of her regaining full control of her life “without any expert evaluation,” he added.
“I’ve seen it reported that Britney wants [the conservatorship] terminated without any expert evaluation. I have to hope that if some medical professional prescribed that for her that there was some condition or basis for that to be deemed an appropriate medical protocol,” he said.
Kevin may have put his life on display in years gone by, but he’s become a very private man.
He didn't score any points with Brit’s fans when he broke up with his pregnant girlfriend and promptly married the Toxic singer in 2004. Two months after Brit and Kevin’s second child together was born in 2006, Britney filed for divorce – and the rest is history.
In spite of the public’s mostly negative opinion of him, Kevin’s been determined to stay above the chatter.
"Things don't really bother me unless it's really something serious," Kevin admitted in 2016.
"Something that's going to harm my children, or personally harm somebody that I love . . . I'm pretty strong when it comes to all that stuff, which I think is how I survived through it, emotionally, mentally. I'm still the same person that I was when I moved to LA 20 years ago."
What’s Kevin doing now?
The former dancer attempted to break into the music biz several times over the years, but without success. He released his last single, Hollywood, in 2016 but it didn’t crack the charts.
He also had a brief stint as a wrestler and actor, appearing on Celebrity Fit Club, One Tree Hill in 2008 and American Pie Presents: The Book of Love in 2009.
Kevin then took his love of performing behind the scenes with a new gig as a DJ. He last performed at a hotel and casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey, in June 2019.
Becoming a DJ, he said, gave him street cred with his sons and their friends.
"They love hip-hop music, so it's interesting, especially when their friends come around and they're asking me all kinds of questions about music and who's hot, what's hot right now. It's like, 'Man, you guys tell me! You're the kids!'"
He's a family man
Before meeting Britney, Kevin had a relationship with actress Shar Jackson (now 44), whom Moesha fans may remember from her role as Niecey in the hit 1990s show.
Kevin fathered two children with her, a daughter, Kori Madison (19), and a son, Kaleb Michael Jackson (16), who was born two months before Kevin and Britney tied the knot.
Despite their rocky past, Shar has described Kevin as, "an amazing dad" to their children.
"If you said his name right now, Kori would go crazy. That's the love of her life."
After his marriage to Brit broke down, Kevin had a daughter, Jordan, with former professional volleyball player Victoria Prince in 2011 and the couple wed two years later.
The pair had a second daughter, Peyton, in 2014, bringing Kevin’s kids tally to six.
"Having six, it feels like you're trying to control a basketball team. But it's worth it. All my kids are great, they get along. By the time you have six, you are so well seasoned. I can probably change a diaper with one hand and feed a kid at the same time."
His history with Brit’s boys
Kevin has pretty much been the primary caregiver for his and Britney’s kids since her 2008 meltdown, when concerns about her mental health and potential substance abuse led to him being granted full custody.
"It was extremely tough watching her go through a phase where she was clearly not okay right after the divorce," Kevin recalls of the dark days after their marriage folded.
"There's a lot more I could have done to help. Taking full custody of the boys sucked the life out of me, but it was for them."
As Britney’s personal and professional life stabilised, they did eventually return to a joint custody agreement, but in August 2018 the arrangement was adjusted so the boys would be with their dad 70% of the time.
"The boys love their mother but the existing arrangement, as reflected in the terms of the most recently entered order, are reflecting what Kevin believes is in the children's best interest," Kaplan said in September 2019.
Kaplan recently confirmed the 70-30 arrangement was still in place.
"Kevin enjoys the full extent of the custody that he has. Both parties are working well in exchanging custody."
Most importantly, Sean and Jayden "are doing great and Kevin is enjoying watching them grow up and evolve", the lawyer said.
Kevin currently receives $20 000 ($10 000 per son) each month from Britney’s $60 million estate in child support.
Sources: people.com, usmagazine.com, vanityfair.com, latimes.com, pagesix.com, dailymail.co.uk, the-sun.com, usatoday.com
