The BBC has greenlit an investigative documentary surrounding Britney Spears and the controversial conservatorship she is under. The BBC Two documentary will be a follow up to the recent American documentary Framing Britney Spears from FX/Hulu.
Spears entered the limelight at the age of eleven appearing on The Mickey Mouse Club alongside Christina Aguilera, Ryan Gosling, and Justin Timberlake. She was elevated to stardom after the release of her first single Baby One More Time at sixteen. Since then, Spears has remained in the public eye as tabloid fodder with every aspect of her personal life broadcast across the globe. Spears’ father Jamie was given conservatorship over her and her assets after the singer was involuntarily committed to a hospital psychiatric ward in 2008.
Over the years concerns for Spears have been raised over the nature of the arrangement with accusations that her father is taking advantage of the situation. Many fans believe that Spears is in danger and is being mistreated by her father. Many also believe that Spears is no longer in need of the strict conservatorship which has left her own financial and career decisions out of her control. Last year, Spears launched a legal bid to have her father removed as her conservator which a judge ruled against. The recent Hulu documentary has shed a light on many of these issues and reignited interest in the Free Britney movement.
Brand new @BBCTwo documentary #Britney sees Bafta-winning journalist @Mobeen_Azhar explore Britney Spears’ conservatorship and the #FreeBritney movement: https://t.co/iSgCRKKHmN pic.twitter.com/90MIUvAOAB
— BBC Press Office (@bbcpress) March 17, 2021
The BBC documentary will follow BAFTA-winning journalist Mobeen Azhar as he travels from Spears’ hometown of Kentwood Louisiana to Los Angeles where he will speak to fans behind the Free Britney movement. Azhar spoke to Deadline about the making of the documentary stating:
“I went to LA in search of the truth of how Britney Spears, one of the biggest pop stars on the planet, ended up in a conservatorship. I found myself in a world of lawyers, superfans and paparazzi and spent time with many of the people who’ve had a front row seat in Britney’s life. This film taps into the energy of the #FreeBritney movement and questions the industry, fandom and the laws that facilitate conservatorships.”
The documentary is set to air this spring on BBC Two.
