"You couldn’t have anything clearer than that. To me, it’s a symbolic act, saying, ’Help, I’m not altogether here’ - and it’s certainly drawn attention to her."

Spears shocked fans looking through the window of the San Fernando Valley salon on Friday night when she grabbed an electric clipper and shaved her own head.

Owner Esther Tognozzi told CNN: "I tried to talk her out of it. I said, ’Are you sure you’re not having a bad day and tomorrow you’ll feel differently about it? Why don’t we wait a little bit?’

"She said ’No, I absolutely want it shaved off now.’ Next thing I know, she grabbed the buzzer and she went to the back of my salon and she was shaving off her own hair."

Britney avoids Paris? - Feb 9 2007
Britney Spears appeared to be doing her best to avoid ex-pal Paris Hilton at New York fashion week.

Scheduled to attend Wednesday night’s uber-hip Heatherette show, a brunette Britney apparently changed her mind at the last minute, sparking rumours that Paris’s expected appearance on the runway was to blame.

"Ten minutes before the show started, they got a call that Britney was in the parking area outside," a backstage witness told the New York Daily News.

"They went out with a Heatherette sweatshirt to throw over her head, but there was no Britney. She got to the parking lot and bailed."

Paris was a no-show too, apparently calling in sick for the show, according to the newspaper.

While Paris presumably rested up, Britney went for dinner at Midtown eatery Rue 57, before heading off to meet old flame Justin Timberlake’s former *NSYNC bandmate JC Chasez at Manhattan club Marquee.

But, while Justin himself was on stage across town at his Madison Square Gardens gig, Britney was reportedly none too pleased when the DJ decided to spin a Timberlake track.

According to a witness, she asked him to change the record.

The mother-of-two reportedly called it a night at around 4am, via a stop-off at McDonald’s.

K-Fed and Brit stay joint parents - Feb 3 2007
Britney Spears and ex Kevin Federline have agreed to continue sharing custody of their two sons Sean and Jayden.

The couple had already signed to do so for the month of January and now Kevin’s lawyer says the same deal will be carried on through February.

The agreement is only temporary. On top of a large demand for spousal support, K-Fed has also sought sole custody of the pair’s kids.

However, cynics say that is a usual power play in an expensive break-up, since it normally involves more money.

For his part, Kevin’s ex-girlfriend Shar Jackson, with whom he has two other children, says the aspiring rapper is the consummate father.

The new deal will stay the same as that made in January, which dictates Sean and Jayden live with their mother and their dad gets to visit them in her home for four hours, three times a week.

Britney must have a good set of nannies - she is rarely not seen out partying these days.

Only last week, she and new boyfriend Isaac Cohen visited the Chateau Marmont with a group of friends for several drinks.

Let’s hope the babies were tucked up in bed.

Britney in Doctor Who? - Jan 26 2007
It seems Britney Spears could be the next famous star to feature in an episode of Doctor Who.

The show’s writer Russell T Davies is apparently keen to get the 25-year-old pop singer in the successful sci-fi series.