Old photos of Britney Spears with cast members from Tiger King unearthed by shocked fans

While coronavirus still takes top billing in social media chatter (for obvious reasons), there’s been one topic that’s giving it a run for its money.

Netflix’s incredible new documentary Tiger King.

For those yet to watch, it’s impossible to describe but Tiger Kingtells the story of lucrative privately owned zoos in the USA – and the bitter war fought between the people are running them.

That’s underselling it but descriptions can’t do the show – or the deep weirdness of its characters – justice.

And watchers of Tiger King are now discovering that this isn’t the first time many of the people who appear on the show have been on their TV screens.

It’s not just Joe Exotic’s bizarre run for president.

Fans have dug up pictures that reveal an incredible link between not one but two Tiger King protagonists and the queen of pop herself, Ms Britney Spears.

First Twitter user @heidiwood_ noticed that at the 2002 VMAs, Britney was seated next to none other than Carole Baskin, founder of Big Cat Rescue, nemesis of every zoo owner and subject of allegations surrounding her second husband's mysterious disappearance.

But that wasn’t all.

In response, user @samanthaabushh posted a snap from Britney’s iconic 2001 performance of single ‘Slave 4 U’, which featured a tiger and its handler.

That handler?

Bhagavan “Doc” Antle, controversial director of The Institute for Greatly Endangered and Rare Species (T.I.G.E.R.S.) and accused “cult” leader, thanks to his penchant for allegedly hiring very young women as workers who become his “wives”, although Antle has denied this.

But yes, Doc Antle very much worked with Britney Spears.

Thankfully, our understanding of animal rights has moved on a bit and the use of them as props has somewhat decreased.

But what’s next? Joe Exotic in the Toxic video?