In a short time, Spears had divorced Federline, released a new album that had only generally favorable reviews, made a disastrous MTV performance, had multiple public meltdowns, and several violent outbursts. She begged the cameras to keep away, and so when it was revealed that she was dating British photographer Adnan Ghalib, plenty of people were surprised.
The pair found themselves on camera several times between 2007 and 2008, and tabloids loved it. According to them, Spears feuded with Ghalib’s parents. Of course, Ghalib was married at the time, which made it even more scandalous for the paparazzi.
Blacked Out
Among all of this, somehow, Spears released her fifth album, "Blackout." Many hoped it would mark a return to the singer's spotlight and a way to escape her troubles. She performed her new single “Gimme More” at the 2007 MTV Music Awards, where she has always been welcomed with open arms, though it didn't go as she had planned.
The "New York Times" panned the performance, calling it a fiasco. The "Toronto Star" said Britney was “lumbering, in slow motion, as if somebody had poured cement into her streetwalker boots.” David Willis of the BBC said it would go down as one of the worst MTV performances of all time.
Chris Crocker's Impassioned Plea
One day after Spears's painful MTV performance, American Youtuber Chris Crocker took to his account to post a video asking people to “Leave Britney Alone!” He defended the performance and explained that he didn't want Spears to spiral out of control, similar to how Anna Nicole Smith had.
At the end of the video, Crocker became intensely emotional. The internet, being the internet, mocked him for his high-pitched plea, and “Leave Britney Alone!” became a viral video for all the wrong reasons, and all over the internet, people parodied it relentlessly. Even someone trying to get others off her back went poorly for Britney.
Losing the Kids
Through all of these changes, trials, and upheavals, Spears and Federline's divorce proceedings continued. At the center stage, where their two children and the custody battle for them. In late 2007, a picture featuring Spears driving both of her sons around – despite her suspended license – made the rounds, and a judge granted full custody to Federline.
Sadly, Britney had to hand over Sean Preston and Jayden James to her ex-husband and was allowed scheduled visits that were few and far between. This directly led to Spears's next big breakdown and a huge change in her life.
5150
During a January 2008 visit with her children in her Los Angeles home, Britney locked herself in a room with her younger son, Jayden. After a four-hour police stand-off, they got a hold of her and took her to a hospital on a gurney, eventually earning a 5150 involuntary psychiatric hold.
Jamie and Lynne Spears applied for a restraining order against Adnan Ghalib and Sam Lufti, claiming they'd tried to control her affairs and had snuck her a cell phone while institutionalized. It didn't end for Spears: She ended up under a conservatorship, meaning her father Jamie would oversee her well-being and assets.