Discovery+ extends ‘Vs’ format with Taylor Swift & Scooter Braun installment

Warner Bros. Discovery UK & Ireland is to explore the feud between Taylor Swift and music mogul Scooter Braun in the latest installment of its Vs format.

Taylor Swift vs Scooter Braun: Bad Blood (working title) is being produced by All3Media-owned Optomen and will delve into the $300m dispute that started when Braun bought the rights to Swift’s first six albums in June 2019.

The 2 x 60-minute docuseries will stick to the Vs format first employed with Vardy vs Rooney: The Wagatha Trial: one episode will explore Swift’s argument that the sale was conducted without consulting her and that she has since been blocked from buying back her masters; with the second set to examine Braun’s allegations that Swift refused to negotiate and instead incited a public feud.

It will debut June on Discovery+ and feature legal experts, journalists and “those close” to Swift and Braun in interviews.

Taylor Swift vs Scooter Braun: Bad Blood is the fourth addition to the Vs strand, following Johnny vs Amber, Kim vs Kanye: The Divorce and aforementioned Vardy vs Rooney: The Wagatha Trial.

Charlotte Reid, VP of commissioning for networks & streaming at WBD UK & Ireland, said: “Taylor Swift’s dispute with Scooter Braun over the ownership of her music exploded into the mainstream, taking contract law from boardroom to social media and into public interest.

“It’s a high-profile, high-interest story that opened debate on fandom and dominated headlines, one which will resonate with our viewers who are highly engaged with access-led documentaries like ‘vs’, which continues to be a popular format on Discovery+.”

The series is executive produced by Nick Hornby and Sarah Eglin for Optomen.