Britney Spears asks fans to respect her privacy after 'prank phone calls' prompted wellness check

Britney Spears has asked her fans to respect her privacy after she says "prank phone calls" prompted a wellness check from police earlier this week.

The singer posted a note to Twitter on Thursday in which she addressed the police visit and said, "I love and adore my fans but this time things went a little too far and my privacy was invaded."

Spears went on to specify that the police "never entered" her home and that once they arrived, "they quickly realized there was no issue and left immediately."

The singer lamented that the incident left her feeling "gaslit and bullied" and that she was "being portrayed once again in a poor an unfair light by the media."

"During this time in my life, I truly hope the public and my fans who I care so much about can respect my privacy moving forward," she wrote.

In an emailed statement to CNN on Wednesday, Sgt. Jason Karol from the Ventura County Sheriff's office confirmed that the department had "received some calls from concerned fans" after Spears deleted her Instagram account.

He said the wellness check was completed "out of an abundance of caution" and that it was "determined she was safe and in no danger."

Over the last two years, Spears has been in the spotlight due to legal battles over her conservatorship - which had been put in place in 2008 and was largely controlled by her father Jamie Spears until its dissolution in 2021 - and the ensuing #freeBritney movement.

Spears had used her Instagram platform as the primary conduit to communicate with her supporters, but has taken breaks from social media in the past.