UPN Launches Spears May 17

Tuesday, May 17, at 9 p.m. is zero hour for the debut of UPN's six-episode reality show featuring Britney Spears and new hubby Kevin Federline.

The half-hour show, which is billed as the story of their courtship and wedding complete with exclusive home videos, will kick off with an hour.

It will revert to its half-hour format the following week, when it will be followed by the debut of another new UPN series, The Bad Girl's Guide, starring Jenny McCarthy as one of three sassy, provocative women living in Chicago.

Drama Veronica Mars will exit the 9-10 slot following its May 10 finale. It will be on hiatus through the remainder of the May sweeps and likely beyond, since the still-unnamed Spears/Federline project is six episodes.

John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.