The harrowing story behind the Gypsy Rose Blanchard case

Gypsy Rose Blanchard is telling her own harrowing story for the first time in a new docu-series, The Prison Confessions of Gypsy Rose Blanchard. The story has already been told in the eight-part true-crime drama series The Act, as well as in various documentaries like Mommy Dead and Dearest and Gypsy's Revenge. This new docu-series will give Gypsy the chance to put forward her version of events and features an exclusive interview from Chillicothe Correctional Center in Missouri where she was detained for seven years. 

In 2015, Gypsy Rose was sentenced for her role in the murder of her mother, Dee Dee Blanchard. After serving seven years of a 10-year prison sentence for second-degree murder, Gypsy was released on 28th December 2023. Her boyfriend at the time, Nicholas Godejohn, was convicted of first-degree murder of Gypsy's mother and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

"After a lifetime of silence, I finally get to use my voice to share my story and speak my truth," Gypsy explains in the trailer for the series." As a survivor of relentless child abuse, this docu-series chronicles my quest for liberation and journey through self-discovery. I am unapologetically myself and unafraid to expose the hidden parts of my life that have never been revealed until now."

The case became headline news at the time in 2015 and has continued to retain public interest, with the disturbing details of what happened to Gypsy and the events that followed revealed through a series of press reports, as well as several documentaries.   

It came to light after Dee Dee's murder that Gypsy was a victim of child abuse. Her mother had what was previously referred to as Munchausen syndrome by Proxy, and is now known as fabricated or induced illness as per the NHS website. It is characterised by 'a person who fakes or induces illness in a person under their care, such as their child'. 

Since leaving prison, Gypsy has garnered a lot of attention on social media, gaining millions of followers on platforms like Instagram and TikTok. She describes herself in her Instagram bio as a 'Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy Advocate'. In the days after her release, Gyspy posted a picture of herself smiling at the camera alongside the caption, 'First selfie of freedom!'

While there has already been much said about the case, this is the first time that Gypsy has been able to tell her own story in her own words. This is what you need to know about Lifetime's production of The Prison Confessions of Gypsy Rose Blanchard, including how to watch it in the UK.

How many episodes are there of the Gypsy Rose Blanchard documentary?

The Lifetime docu-series features six episodes which will be spread across three nights, starting on Friday 5th January and finishing on Sunday 7th January 2024. The episodes will centre around the background of the case, as well as a new interviews with Gyspy where she recounts the events that unfolded in her own words.

How to watch the Gypsy Rose Blanchard documentary in the UK

UK viewers won't have long to wait if they want to catch up with the show. The series will premiere on the Crime + Investigation channel on Monday 15th January 2024 at 9 pm, with two-hour episodes airing over three weeks each Monday.

You can also watch the show via Amazon Prime here, as The Prison Confessions of Gypsy Rose Blanchard will also be streaming on demand via Crime + Investigation Play, which can be added to your existing Prime Video subscription, with an extra fee of £3.99 per month.