Can Britney ever truly be free? - The Sunday Story
The Story
The Times
3.9 • 1.6K Ratings
🗓️ 19 April 2026
⏱️ 21 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
A strict conservatorship, control of her finances, breakdowns, nonstop media pressure and divorce. It's been one hell of a journey for the Princess of Pop, but the latest news that Britney Spears has entered rehab leaves fans asking the question, will she ever be truly free?
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Read by: Helen Rumbelow, feature writer for the Times.
Producer: Dave Creasey.
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Read more: Controlled, hounded, scarred. Could Britney Spears ever truly be free?
Clips: NBC, ABC, CNN, hugebritneyfan, britneyonline.
Music: Baby One More Time - Britney Spears - Sony Music Entertainment.
Photo: Getty Images.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | From The Times and the Sunday Times, this is the story on Sunday. I'm Luke Jones. |
| 0:09.4 | It's not quite the fairy tale ending for Brittany that fans had hoped for. |
| 0:17.7 | Britney Spears has chosen to check herself into rehab. |
| 0:21.6 | Just over a month after being arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol |
| 0:26.6 | and drugs. |
| 0:27.6 | Many thought that after years suffering under a strict conservatorship, she was finally free. |
| 0:32.6 | But recent events suggest that that might not be the case. |
| 0:35.6 | It's been a long and difficult journey for the |
| 0:37.6 | Princess of Pop |
| 0:38.3 | but the latest |
| 0:39.2 | news that |
| 0:39.8 | she's entered |
| 0:40.3 | rehab has |
| 0:41.7 | left fans |
| 0:42.3 | asking again |
| 0:43.3 | will she |
| 0:44.4 | ever truly |
| 0:45.0 | be free? |
| 0:46.8 | Times feature |
| 0:47.3 | writer Helen |
| 0:47.9 | Rumbolo |
| 0:48.4 | asks that |
... |
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