Concern as Spears leaves hospital

TROUBLED US pop star Britney Spears has been released from hospital, a TV show psychologist said yesterday.

Dr Phil McGraw said the singer was discharged on Saturday but still needs psychological help, Entertainment Tonight and The Insider reported.

Spears was taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre in Los Angeles by paramedics on Thursday night after police were called to her home because of a dispute involving the two sons she had with ex-husband Kevin Federline.

“My meeting with Britney and some family members in her room at Cedars leaves me convinced more than ever that she is in dire need of both medical and psychological intervention,” said McGraw.

“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.”

McGraw planned to talk more about Spears on his daytime talk show this week, according to reports.

Medical centre officials have had no comment on the pop star.

The incident at her home lasted several hours.

A Los Angeles police spokeswoman said on Friday that officers at the scene determined that paramedics “needed to be called” but it was unclear why.

At an emergency hearing on Friday, a court commissioner suspended Spears’ right to visit sons Sean Preston, two, and Jayden James, one. The commissioner also gave sole physical and legal custody to Federline.

Previously, Federline had temporary custody and Spears had court-monitored visitation.

The court set another hearing for January 14.

Spears and Federline married in October 2004.

Her life has spiralled downward since their divorce in July.

She has been photographed without underwear and appeared to be drunk and out-of-control in public. She shaved her head, beat a car with an umbrella and spent a month in rehab.