Panettiere is "rooting" for Britney

Hayden Panettiere has said that she really wants to see Britney Spears get through her recent troubles.

The actress described Spears as an "idol" and claimed she feels sympathy for the star because of all the media pressure that surrounds her everyday life.

She told GQ: "That girl was the epitome of beauty when I was younger.

"And we built her up and just ripped her down, put every aspect of her life under a microscope - we probably made 90 per cent of the stuff up along the way.

"I can't even imagine if my life was like hers. She's someone that I'm rooting for, and I hope she can make that comeback, definitely."