A Timeline Of Britney Spears And Sam Asghari's Relationship

As we all know, Britney Spears' life had been ruled by a legal conservatorship run by her father, Jamie Spears, from 2008 to November 2021. The conservatorship had been put in place, according to her family, as a safety precaution since Spears had struggled with her mental health and had been deemed unfit to manage her legal and financial affairs.

Spears had long opposed the conservatorship, and when she began dating Sam Asghari in 2016, he had served as a source of support for her. Always in her corner, Asghari always readily came to the pop star's defense. For example, in February 2021, he posted an Instagram story (via The New York Times) which read, "I have zero respect for someone trying to control our relationship and constantly throwing obstacles in our way," with Spears' fans largely assuming Asghari was referring to the conservatorship. Of course, the conservatorship came to an end in November 2021, a move that had been largely fueled by the #FreeBritney campaign led by her fans starting in 2019.

In fact, Asghari had been called the singer's "rock" by many inside sources close to the star. "Sam has been Britney's rock for years. He makes sure that she eats well and works out," the source told People of Asghari. "She leans on him for everything. He works and has his own life too, but is around as much as he can."

If you or someone you know needs help with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.