Dr. Phil cancels Britney Spears show

Dr. Phil McGraw has cancelled plans to air a TV special about the "serious issues" which surround Britney Spears' current personal problems.

The psychologist and US TV personality visited Spears in hospital at the weekend, and later released a statement which claimed that the singer is in "dire need of both medical and psychological intervention".

He has now claimed that the current situation is "too intense" for his planned one-hour special, which was due to air in the US tomorrow, to go ahead.

"We had planned to tape a Dr. Phil Now show today, focusing not on the tabloid side of Britney's latest problems, but instead on the very serious issues surrounding this case," McGraw explained in a statement. "Clearly, it is not just Britney's family struggling to find a way to protect adult children who cannot be ordered or compelled to seek help.

"Because the Spears situation is too intense at this time, and out of consideration to the family, I have made the decision not to move forward with the taping at this particular time. Britney and her family are in our prayers, and we ask that they be in yours."