Britney Spears checks into rehab facility following DUI arrest

Pop superstar Britney Spears has voluntarily entered a substance abuse treatment facility, just over a month after her arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs.

A representative for the 44-year-old confirmed her admission to the facility in an email to The Associated Press on Sunday.

The development follows an incident on 5 March, when California Highway Patrol officers responded to reports of a BMW driving erratically and at high speed on U.S. 101 in Ventura County.

Spears, who resides in the area, subsequently failed field sobriety tests and was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of a combination of alcohol and drugs. She was taken to a county jail before being released several hours later.

Investigators referred the case to the Ventura County District Attorney's Office on 23 March, with a decision on charges expected before a court date scheduled for 4 May.

At the time of her arrest, a representative described Spears' actions as "completely inexcusable," expressing hope it would be "the first step in long overdue change that needs to occur in Britney’s life."

Spears has largely stepped back from her music career, having not toured in nearly eight years or released an album in almost a decade.

In 2021, she regained control over her personal and financial decisions following the dissolution of a nearly 14-year court-ordered conservatorship. Two years later, she published her bestselling memoir, The Woman in Me.