Spears 'most exposed celeb' of 2008

Britney Spears was the most exposed celebrity of 2008, according to a poll by USA Today.

The Celebrity Heat Index ranks an individual's exposure through print, TV and online entertainment news outlets throughout the year. Points are awarded for each appearance in the media based on the prominence of the story.

The 'Womanizer' singer topped the rankings for a second year after generating the most media exposure across the past 12 months. The poll reports that her hospitalisation in January and the release of new LP Circus garnered particular interest.

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt were ranked second and fourth on the list, following the coverage given to the birth of their twins Vivienne and Knox in July.

The full list of the most exposed celebrities of 2008 is as follows:

1. Britney Spears
2. Angelina Jolie
3. Jennifer Aniston
4. Brad Pitt
5. Jamie Lynn Spears
6. Katie Holmes
7. Nicole Richie
8. Jessica Simpson
9. Tom Cruise
10. Lindsay Lohan