Britney Spears’ Close Friends Are ‘Exhausted’ and ‘Scared’ After Bizarre Behavior at Restaurant

Britney Spears‘ inner circle is reportedly in crisis mode after her alleged bizarre behavior during a recent night out made headlines just weeks after she checked out of rehab.

“The rehab bought everyone a little time, but it didn’t solve the deeper issues,” a source told Rob Shuter‘s Naughty But Nice Substack on Friday, May 15. “She refuses to accept she needs more help, and that’s what terrifies people most.”

Another source told the outlet that those close to the “Circus” singer, 44, are “exhausted, scared, and running out of answers.”

“If this is how she behaves in public, imagine what happens behind closed doors,” the source added.

As Star previously reported, Spears was arrested in early March for driving under the influence in Ventura, California. Several weeks after the incident, she voluntarily checked herself into rehab. While those close to her reportedly hoped she would stay at the facility for a minimum of 90 days, she checked out just two weeks later.

On May 4, the Grammy winner pleaded guilty to wet reckless driving and was sentenced to one year of informal probation, along with 30 hours of alcohol education classes, according to Page Six.

Earlier this week, entertainment reporter Jeff Sneider described his dining experience at Blue Dog Tavern in Sherman Oaks, California, which included being seated near Spears and two of her friends.

“She was clearly on some sort of medication,” Sneider said in a video he posted to his Instagram Story on Wednesday, May 13, adding that she “picked up a knife” at one point, making another diner nervous. “I don’t know if she’d been drinking. It was like this woman who was screaming and barking and I thought she had Tourette’s, and only a few minutes later did I realize it was Britney Spears.”

However, it didn’t take long before the Crossroads star’s rep spoke out about Sneider’s claims.

“Britney was enjoying a quiet dinner with her assistant and bodyguard. She was simply telling the story about how her dog was barking at the neighbors,” the spokesperson said in a statement to People on Thursday, May 14. “At no point did she put anyone in danger with a knife. She was cutting her hamburger in half. This constant attack on everything that she does and this is exactly what happened 20 years ago when the media tried to depict Britney as a bad person. This is ridiculous and it needs to stop now.”