BBC announce release date for new Britney Spears documentary

Zoe Shenton
·3 min read
Photo credit: J. Merritt
Photo credit: J. Merritt

The recent FX Framing Britney Spears documentary gripped Britney fans across the globe, so it's little surprise other broadcasters are also lining up to document the singer's meteoric rise to fame, her long-standing legal arrangements and the #FreeBritney movement. As well as Netflix's project in the pipeline, the BBC just announced they will be releasing a documentary that will predominantly focus on the singer's conservatorship. Here's everything we know about it:

When will BBC Two's Britney documentary air?

Produced by Forest and distributed internationally by Abacus Media Rights, the documentary will air on BBC Two later this spring.

The documentary, aptly named The Battle for Britney: Fans, Cash and a Conservatorship, will drop on BBC iPlayer on Saturday 1 May, with a BBC Two broadcast to follow on Wednesday 5 May at 9pm BST.

It will be an hour long, and fronted by BAFTA award-winning journalist Mobeen Azha. He'll journey from Los Angeles to Britney’s hometown of Kentwood, Louisiana, untangling the complexities surrounding the conservatorship.

Photo credit: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin - Getty Images
Photo credit: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin - Getty Images

What will BBC Two's Britney documentary be about?

The BBC says:

After setting out on his journey in the autumn of 2020, Britney (working title) will follow Mobeen as he journeys from Britney’s hometown of Kentwood, Louisiana to Los Angeles, and delves into one of the most passionate fan bases in modern celebrity. Along the way he attends a court hearing, finding himself in the midst of the ongoing battle between Britney's conservatorship team and the passionate fans behind the #FreeBritney movement. He speaks to those fighting to free Britney and discovers what that means to them, and meets the people closest to Britney herself to learn more about the person behind the headlines.

"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," Mobeen explained. "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.”

What is a conservatorship?

A conservatorship is a legal contract that places an adult under the guardianship of another. In Britney's case, her father Jamie Spears has had control of her finances and personal affairs since 2008. The contract sparked what's known as the 'Free Britney' movement by fans who are petitioning for the singer to be legally "freed" from her father's guardianship and for her to regain control over her finances and independence.

Since the original documentary was released, there has been renewed interest in Britney's story. Countless celebrities have also spoken out in support of the singer, while fans have been reading into her Instagram posts in an attempt to decipher what's going on.

Even Britney has spoken out about the #FreeBritney movement as a result, sharing a video of herself dancing on Instagram along with a lengthy caption where called out the media for their treatment of her, and told fans that although she never watched it she cried for two weeks after Framing Britney Spears was released.

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