As you may have seen plugged shamelessly in the magazine and earlier today on heatworld, I've got a documentary on Sky One tonight about Britney Spears and her relationship with the paparazzi. And I had a pretty eye-opening experience filming the programme. When Sky asked me to go out to LA and meet the paps who follow Britney and experience a little bit of what their routine is like, I jumped at the chance because for me it was an opportunity to see how the shots we print in heat every week come about. I have to admit that, despite getting caught up in the excitement and adrenaline rush of the paps' action-packed lives as they chase Britney through the streets of LA, I did also feel sorry for her and constantly wonder at the way in which everyone forgets she's a real person in the middle of this madness. Yet at the same time she does, of course, collude with the paps, and is, of course, still dating one of them. In the end I don't think her mental health issues are CAUSED by the pap pack and their relentless pursuit of her, in fact I think she's probably addicted to their attentions, while her odd family and choice of management/advisors/"friends" seems to contribute more to her problems. Anyway, decide for yourselves and do let me know what you think.
Britney: Speared By The Paps in on Sky One tonight, 10pm.
Britney and the paps