Britney Spears has broken her silence over her split from Sam Asghari for the first time.
While addressing the end of their 14-month marriage, the 41-year-old pop star revealed to her Instagram followers that she is 'a little shocked.'
'I couldn't take the pain anymore honestly!!!' she captioned a video of herself dancing in her living room. 'In some sort of telepathic way, I have been receiving so many messages that melt my heart from friends and I thank you!!!'
She continued: 'I've been playing it strong for way too long and my Instagram may seem perfect but it's far from reality and I think we all know that!!!'
The mother-of-two went on to admit that she 'would love to show' her 'emotions and tears' online, but always feels the need to 'hide' her 'weaknesses.'
'If I wasn't my dad's strong soldier, I would be sent away to places to get fixed by doctors!!!' she admitted. 'But that's when I needed family the most!!!'
While appearing to stay optimistic, the Grammy winner reminded fans that 'you're supposed to be loved unconditionally' and that she's going to be 'as strong as' she can.
'And I'm actually doing pretty d**n good!!! Anyways have a good day and don't forget to smile!!!' she concluded.
In the footage, uploaded to her account on Friday night, the performer appeared in high spirits as she smiled and twirled around in a tiny black crop top and a pair of low-rise neon green bikini bottoms.
Over the years, the star has talked about how sharing videos of herself dancing has been a source of 'healing' after being freed from her conservatorship.
Last year, she told her followers that she 'recorded 30 videos of' dancing on vacation in Maui.
'That's fun to me!!!' she explained. I know I'm not the best dancer, a lot of people make fun of the way I move but honestly as long as I'm moving and expressing my body outwardly in someway at this point … that's healing to me!!!' she added.
Her post comes after claims that Britney got physical with Sam several times during their relationship and, once, allegedly gave him a black eye as he slept.
Asghari reportedly told friends that the pop princess would attack him during their seven years together, sources told TMZ, adding there were numerous fights where security had to step in between the pair.
Divorce
Sam Asghari, 29, has filed for divorce and is seeking financial support from Spears, 41, after just over a year of marriage.
In his filing to Los Angeles County Court, Asghari said the pair separated nearly three weeks ago and cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for the break-up.
Posting on Instagram, Asghari wrote: "After six years of love and commitment to each other my wife and I have decided to end our journey together.
"We will hold on to the love and respect that we have for each other and I wish her the best always. S*** happens. Asking for privacy seems ridiculous so I will just ask for everyone including media to be kind and thoughtful."
His divorce filing lists the couple's separation date as 28 July, though reports of the split did not emerge until Wednesday.
It says he will try to get financial support from her - while blocking her from getting any from him.
Asghari is also trying to get the singer to pay for his divorce lawyers, according to the filings.
The filing says the value of Spears and Asghari's assets, and those they own jointly, is yet to be determined.
The couple married at a star-studded ceremony at the US singer's home in Los Angeles in June 2022.
They originally met on the set of the Slumber Party music video in 2016, and became engaged in September 2021 as her controversial conservatorship - the legal arrangement that controlled her life and finances - looked to be coming to an end.
The marriage is the third for Spears, and the first for Asghari. She married Jason Alexander, a childhood friend, in a surprise ceremony in Las Vegas in 2004 but the marriage was annulled shortly after. Nine months later, she married dancer Kevin Federline, with whom she had two children. That marriage ended in divorce in 2007.
Iranian-born Asghari is a personal trainer and actor who has appeared on the Showtime series "Black Monday."
