Britney Spears arrested in California

Pop star Britney Spears has been arrested in California on suspicion of driving under the influence, CBS News reports

The California Highway Patrol took Spears into custody on Wednesday at around 21:30 PT (05:30 GMT). She was released early Thursday morning and is scheduled to appear in Ventura County Superior Court on May 4. The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the reason for her arrest to CBS, the BBC’s US media partner.

A spokesperson for Spears described the incident as “unfortunate” and “completely inexcusable,” adding that she intends to comply with the law and take steps toward positive change. The representative said Spears would receive support from her loved ones and that her children would continue to spend time with her.

“She is going to take the right steps and comply with the law, and hopefully this can be the first step in long overdue change that needs to occur in Britney’s life. Her boys are going to be spending time with her. Her loved ones are going to come up with an overdue plan to set her up for success and well-being,” the spokesperson said.

The news of her arrest coincided with Spears apparently deleting her Instagram account on Thursday.

Britney Spears is one of the world’s best-selling pop stars, known for hits including Toxic, Everytime, Gimme More, Womanizer, Stronger, and …Baby One More Time. In January 2024, she said she would “never return to the music industry,” with her last release being a 2022 duet with Elton John.

Earlier this year, Spears hinted in a now-deleted post that, while she would not perform in the US again, she hoped to play live shows in the UK and Australia.

From 2008 until 2021, Spears was under a conservatorship that placed her personal and financial life under the control of her father. She reflected on her experiences in her 2023 memoir, The Woman in Me. Her ex-husband, Kevin Federline, published his own memoir, You Thought You Knew, at the end of 2025.