DRIVING AWAY FROM HOME

A lot has changed in Britney Spears' life since her father decided to take a more active role in her upbringing, albeit several years too late. The wild parties are no more, the drink and drugs appear to have been cut right back and she even has to demonstrate that she is wearing underwear before she leaves the house, though quite how Jamie Spears enforces this rule is open to question.

Now it looks like his icy demeanour is beginning to thaw slightly as he has made a small concession to car-loving Britney. She is now allowed to drive her beloved car again. As far as the front gate and straight back. Well maybe a little further, as OK! magazine states she lives on a gated community (like a golden birdcage – pretty to look at but it's still a cage) and is allowed to drive around the neighbourhood but not past the gates.

"Britney is addicted to driving," an insider tells OK!.

"Initially, her father wouldn't let her drive at all, but he knows how much she loves it and it calms her, so he's softened the restriction. He now lets her toodle around the block in her gated community."

Can you imagine Britney toodling? And am I the only one who finds this a little sad? I quite enjoyed the old Britney, though clearly unwell she was living life to the full. Now she behaves like Randall McMurphy from 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest' just before he got the pillow over his face.

Well, at least she'll save a fortune on petrol. I just hope there's a Starbucks on that gated community or she'll dehydrate.