The ex-husband of pop star Britney Spears gives new details on the pair's tense relationship in his new memoir, You Thought You Knew.
Kevin Federline, her one-time backing dancer, presents a picture of Spears's allegedly erratic behavior as a wife and mother, saying he continues to have concerns for her wellbeing.
Spears has spoken out against the book, which will be published on Tuesday, accusing Federline of trying to profit from his association with her.
What does the book say about Spears?
Federline makes a number of allegations against Spears in the memoir shared with the BBC ahead of the book's release.
Among his claims, he accuses Spears of unhealthy behavior as a mother, including drinking while pregnant and using cocaine during breastfeeding. Spears has denied these allegations.
Federline also recounts disturbing moments from their family life, like how their sons feared Spears, stating they would sometimes find her watching them sleep, knife in hand.
Concerns for her health are prevalent in Federline's narrative, suggesting a sense of urgency: The truth is, this situation with Britney feels like it's racing toward something irreversible. From where I sit, the clock is ticking, and we're getting close to the 11th hour. He expresses that he supported her conservatorship, which controlled many aspects of her life for years.
What's the history of their relationship?
The couple married in 2004 and had two sons, but their relationship deteriorated quickly, culminating in a divorce in 2007 and a contentious custody battle that left Federline with full custody.
Following these events, Spears experienced highly publicized struggles with mental health, leading to her conservatorship in 2008, which lasted until 2021.
What has Spears said?
In response to Federline's book, Spears characterized his promotion of the memoir as an attack and expressed that its contents were extremely hurtful and exhausting. She claimed it would likely overshadow her own memoir's success.
Spears has defended her parenting, asserting her commitment to her sons and distancing herself from Federline's portrayal of her behavior.
A spokesperson for Spears emphasized that Federline's book profits from her image after their financial arrangements ended.
Why is this happening now?
Despite being out of the public eye in recent years, Federline asserts that he waited until his children were older to release this memoir, aiming to provide a truthful account for them.
