Deadline: How ‘How I Met Your Mother’ Was Saved By Britney
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“We had been pushing for stunt casting opportunities, anything to get more viewers to sample the show,” 20th TV chairman and CEO Gary Newman said. The studio’s casting executive Stepahnie Herman pitched the idea of Britney Spears, at the time the hottest tabloid celebrity who was trying to get her life back together following her epic meltdown. Herman was friendly with her manager and reached out.
It turned out that Spears was a fan of HIMYM and was interested in a guest star role on it. The filming of the episode was a spectacle, with helicopters buzzing overhead and throngs of paparazzi at the studio’s barricaded gates for a glimpse of the troubled star.
Whether it was the massive publicity surrounding Spears’ stint on the show or the new time slot or both, HIMYM returned from a three-month break with a season high in 18-49. The following week, the episode featuring Spears set a series high in 18-39 (4.5) and a season high in total viewers (10.8 million) “Ratings exploded, and the show never looked back, going onto a long and successful run on CBS and in syndication,” Newman said.
Saving a TV show but more importantly saving people's jobs and ENTIRE livelihoods, making sure they are able to put food on the table for their families every night. Only Britney.
