The cast of Nickelodeon's Zoey 101
In 2008, Jamie Lynn Spears was the star of Nickelodeon's hit television show, Zoey 101, following in her sister Britney Spears' footsteps when life threw her a curveball.
After getting pregnant out of wedlock with daughter Maddie at age 16, Spears retreated from Zoey 101 and the media spotlight. Now, eight years later – and with success in the world of country music - Spears is headed back to television with a new TLC special called Jamie Lynn Spears: When the Lights Go Out, which will give viewers a behind-the-scenes look at Spears' life.
In Jamie Lynn Spears: When the Lights Go Out, Spears will let viewers in on how the media reactions to her teenage pregnancy have affected her, and also tell her current story of finding her way as a country music artist.
"The child star who got pregnant – I mean a lot of horrible nasty things were said," Spears says in an sneak peek of the special. "I look back now and I'm like, 'Oh my Gosh,'" she adds, wiping away tears.
Recently married to Jamie Watson, Spears juggles parenting now-7-year-old Maddie and creating new music. In addition to performing her own tunes, Spears has even penned hits for other stars, including Jana Kramer's "I Got the Boy."
The special will also document Spears' performance at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville this past March, where her big sister and brother Bryan popped in to surprise her. "Not only is she beautiful and extremely talented, she's my little sister," Britney said whilst introducing Jamie on-stage.
"I wanna do something that I'm gonna be proud of," Spears says. "I'm not just a child star. I'm not just someone's sister. And I'm not just a teen mom."
Jamie Lynn has occasionally talked about her teen pregnancy in the press. She told Glamour in 2012, "Like many young girls...I was really scared to go to the doctor. And I was on a Nickelodeon show, and it [felt] especially embarrassing to ask someone to put me on birth control." She also said Maddie's father, ex-boyfriend Casey Aldridge, was her "first love," adding, "Since the day I saw him, I just wanted to marry him and be with him forever and ever."
In a 2013 interview with E! News' Ken Baker, Jamie Lynn recalled being surprised to find out she was pregnant, adding, "This made no sense and I didn't understand it and I was young."
Her and Britney's parents, Jamie Spears and Lynne Spears also appear on program and discuss her emotional journey.
Jamie Lynn Spears: When the Lights Go Out premieres Sunday, June 26 at 10/9c on TLC USA!
Watch Zoey 101 on TeenNick!
Sources: Entertainment Weekly, E! Online UK, People.com.
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