Over the weekend, Backstreet Boys‘ AJ McLean weighed in on Britney Spears‘ controversial conservatorship, comparing the “Toxic” singer to Princess Diana.

“I would compare the level of insanity with Britney to what happened to Princess Diana,” AJ told co-host Cheryl Burke on their Pretty Messed Up podcast.  “It’s sad to see what has transpired over the last 13 years.”

AJ went on to explain that Britney, whom he’s known since the early 1990s when they lived in the same apartment complex during her Mickey Mouse Club days, was “the sweetest, sweetest girl.”

AJ, who’s struggled with substance abuse in the past, noted, “I can speak for myself. I was 14 when Backstreet Boys started. As a young person, boy or girl, thrust into this business, it makes your head spin.”

AJ said that he personally doesn’t agree with Spears’ conservatorship, which has controlled nearly every aspect of her life for the past 13 years.

“I only know one side,” he explained. “I don’t know what is going through the parents’ minds. In my opinion, I think it should have ended a while ago or at least [been] dumbed down a bit. It doesn’t seem fair.”

“I do hope that the [resolution] is that this poor girl gets her life back.  Just to be able to go to the grocery store by yourself, be able to go get a physical if you’re feeling sick,” he added.

“At the end of the day, the truth will come out. I am 100 million percent on the #FreeBritney train because I completely agree with it,” he concluded.  “All of us should just pray for Britney and also pray for her family…I can’t even imagine as a parent what is going through her mom and her dad’s mind.”

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