Britney Spears lost a bid to regain custody of her two young sons on Wednesday as a judge ordered the children to stay in the sole care of her ex-husband but granted the troubled pop star monitored-visitation rights.
Adding to the media frenzy surrounding the high-profile custody fight, television therapist Dr. Phil McGraw said through a spokesman "he would be prepared to offer whatever help he could provide" to the couple.
But the spokesman, Louis DiCenzo, declined to say whether McGraw had reached out directly to Spears or her representatives as her legal troubles continued to mount.
Los Angeles Superior Court Commissioner Scott Gordon rejected Spears request to lift a court order from Monday giving former spouse Kevin Federline sole custody of their sons, Sean Preston, 2, and Jayden James, 1, whose care the couple previously shared.
Two weeks ago, Gordon ordered Spears to undergo random drug testing and hire a parenting coach after finding evidence of her "habitual, frequent and continuous use of controlled substances and alcohol."
Federline's lawyer, Mark Vincent Kaplan, told reporters after the three-hour, closed-door hearing on Wednesday that the judge granted Spears visitation subject to certain conditions.
He did not elaborate. But court spokesman Allan Parachini said Spears' visitation had to be monitored and would likely take place every other day.
Gordon set another hearing for October 26 to review the situation and possibly revise his order. Both Federline and Spears are required to attend.
Federline, wearing sunglasses over an eye patch, attended Wednesday's hearing, slipping into and out of the courthouse without speaking to throngs of reporters gathered outside. Spears was not present, and her lawyer declined comment.
Spears' custody battle caps a tumultuous year in the singer's personal life as she struggles to rejuvenate her recording career.
Since her split from Federline last November, Spears has drawn a steady stream of headlines for erratic behavior that has included club-hopping without panties, shaving her head bald, raging at a car with an umbrella and checking into and out of rehab.
Last month, her highly anticipated comeback appearance at the MTV Video Music Awards was widely panned as an embarrassing flop, though her new single, "Gimme More," has climbed to the top of the digital download charts.
Spears, 25, and Federline, 29, divorced in July after nearly three years of marriage, and before this week had shared 50/50 custody of their children. But Kaplan told reporters in August that Federline was seeking greater control of his sons to keep them "isolated from risks."
Adding to her legal woes, she was charged days later with leaving the scene of an accident and driving without a valid license after police said she smashed into another car in a parking lot.
Spears' lawyer, Sorrell Trope, was quoted by People magazine this week as saying the judge revoked the singer's custody based in part on Federline's claims that she had failed to comply with requirements regarding drug and alcohol tests.
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