Spears meets with Dr. Phil, leaves hospital: report

CTV.ca News Staff

Troubled pop singer Britney Spears was released from a Los Angeles hospital following a visit from talk show host Dr. Phil McGraw, gossip website TMZ.com reported Saturday.

Spears was taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center by ambulance on Thursday after a nearly three-hour police standoff, in which authorities tried to mediate a custody row between the entertainer and her ex-husband Kevin Federline.

"Sources say the hospital released her without notifying any of the principles involved in the ongoing kiddie drama," TMZ.com reported Saturday.

The website says McGraw -- a well-known psychologist and author who first gained fame for appearances on the Oprah Winfrey Show -- visited Spears early Saturday morning.

The "Dr. Phil Show" is taping a special about Spears on Monday with the show set to air on Wednesday, TMZ reports, adding representatives from the show requested footage of the pop princess from the website.

McGraw issued a statement to Entertainment Tonight regarding his visit with Spears saying:

"My meeting with Britney and some of her family members this morning in her room at Cedars leaves me convinced more than ever that she is in dire need of both medical and psychological intervention. She was released moments before my arrival and was packing when I entered the room. We visited for about an hour before I walked with her to her car. I am very concerned for her."

Custody battle

Federline was awarded sole custody of their two children, two-year-old Sean Preston and one-year-old Jayden James on Friday. Spears' visitation rights were also suspended.

Commissioner Scott Gordon has ordered another custody hearing for Jan. 14.

Federline, who married Spears in October 2004, was awarded temporary custody of their children last fall after Spears defied court orders.

"I'm not happy about any of these events," Federline's attorney Mark Vincent Kaplan said after leaving a closed-door emergency hearing Friday afternoon. "There's no winners here."

The latest drama unfolded after 7 p.m. on Friday when Spears allegedly refused to turn over her two children to Federline.

Police were called to the pop star's home at 8 p.m. on Thursday to mediate a custody dispute over Spears' two young boys.

By about 10:30 p.m., there were six police cars, two ambulances and a fire truck in the gated-community where Spears' house is located. Throngs of paparazzi descended on the scene as helicopters taped Spears, lying on a gurney, being loaded into an awaiting ambulance.

The 26-year-old turned over her two boys to ex-husband Kevin Federline at 10:50 p.m., confirmed officer Jason Lee, reports The Associated Press.

Lee said Spears was allegedly under the influence of an unknown substance at the time; however, officers later clarified that there was no evidence of substance abuse at the time of the incident.

Spears' life appears to have spiralled out of control since her divorce from Federline in July. Spears was photographed in a number of strange incidents last year including an umbrella attack on a car. After shaving her head, Spears spent a month in a rehab facility and was involved in a number of minor traffic accidents including an incident where she ran over a photographer's foot.