Britney praised for sitcom cameo

Britney Spears's cameo in US sitcom How I Met Your Mother has been praised by critics.

The singer, 26, filmed a guest spot on the CBS show earlier this month.

She played Abby, a shy doctor's receptionist who falls for the main character Ted (Josh Radnor).

A critic for the New York Daily News said: "Spears proved she can act every bit as well as she can sing."

Other reviewers described her performance as "fresh-faced and relaxed" and her appearance as "slim, trim and gorgeous".

The episode attracted 10.6m viewers when it aired in the US on Monday, the show's highest viewing figures this season.

Spears's last small-screen role was on comedy Will & Grace in 2006.