GAMES WITHOUT FRONTIERS

Britney Spears made her usual paparazzi-chased tour of Hollywood yesterday, making no attempt to hide the fact that she was wearing both a new engagement ring and also an equally-shiny wedding ring. As the photographers jabbered their usual comments she then decided to enter a chemist's shop and browse their range of pregnancy testing kits in full glare of the media.

No doubt she thinks that she is being clever by playing these games with the press, but her friends and family really should tell her that this is a game that she can't win. One day she'll run out of ideas with which to start rumours, but the press will still be there. And the day after. And the day after that.

This is a girl who has been worked by a pushy parent since the age of five and whose brain has finally given way under the constant pressure. She probably now thinks it's hilarious that she's looking at pregnancy testing kits, and it'll surely be baby clothes and nappies next before she goes home and cries and drinks herself into a stupor.

Maybe it's time for her mother and sister, who have so benefited from her career, to take her to a remote cabin and keep her there for a few weeks? Maybe we'll see a better person emerge? One thing's for sure, when Kevin Federline is the one coming out with reasonable and articulate comments on the future of his children, and their mother is still pulling stunts like this, help is needed, professional or not.