Madonna sympathises with Britney Spears

Madonna has claimed that Britney Spears's recent troubles resulted from the pressures of public scrutiny.

The Queen of Pop admitted that she sympathises with Britney because the singer was "never allowed to have a childhood" after finding fame at an early age.

"She didn't get to grow up and make mistakes privately," Madonna explained in an interview with the BBC. "She's been under a microscope since she was a teenager, which I think is really tough, it's hard to evolve that way."

Madonna and Britney worked together in 2003 on the track 'Me Against The Music', which became an international hit.

Spears's personal life and future career plans now appear to be back on track. She is believed to be "training like an athlete" in preparation for a comeback.