Jamie Lynn Spears broke down in tears on “Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test” as she mused on being Britney Spears’ little sister.
“Growing up, my sister became famous, worldwide famous, when I was very young,” the “Zoey 101” alum said during the Fox reality show’s premiere Wednesday.
“I’m so proud of her, love her to death, but I don’t know. Sometimes I feel like I don’t really have anything for myself,” she continued.
Jamie Lynn elaborated in a confessional that while she is “extremely proud” of Britney’s success, she yearns to have her “own identity” and “be seen as [her] own person” rather than living in the pop superstar’s shadow.
“I struggle with self-esteem all the time,” she admitted.
The Spears sisters have had a turbulent relationship in recent years, with Britney, 41, claiming Jamie Lynn, 31, failed to help her break free from the conservatorship that their father, Jamie Spears, put the “Toxic” singer under in February 2008.
After a Los Angeles judge terminated the legal arrangement in November 2021, Britney turned to social media to call out her family for barring her from making her own decisions for 13 years.
The drama came to a head in January 2022 when Jamie Lynn mentioned Britney’s name nearly 300 times in her memoir, leading the Grammy winner to fire off a cease-and-desist letter in which she said her sister had “exploited her for monetary gain.”
But Britney made the internet do a double take in December when she publicly praised Jamie Lynn for “being so brave, inspiring, and showing guts and glory.” Some fans saw the message as an olive branch, while others suspected the entertainer was being sarcastic.
With the siblings’ future remaining up in the air, Jamie Lynn told Page Six exclusively ahead of the “Special Forces” premiere that she found a new family in her castmates, who included former Spice Girls member Mel B, “Real Housewives of Atlanta” star Kenya Moore, Olympic skier Gus Kenworthy and “7th Heaven” alum Beverley Mitchell.
“Everyone felt like family after this,” the “Sweet Magnolias” actress shared with us. “You’re instantly bonded when you walk on [set] that first day. … I would not have been able to get through [this] without the support of all these amazing new people in my life.”
“Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test” airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET on Fox.