Things get worse for Britney

Just when it seemed that Britney's life was bumping along the bottom, bodyguard-turned-turncoat Tony Barretto has filed child abuse allegations with the state of California. They're now going to be followed up.

By the way, MTV News team: you might want to try reading your reports aloud before posting them:

Barretto claimed he saw Spears do drugs on two occasions: once at a nightclub, when he was holding a curtain to make her area private

He was making her area private? We know she's got form for going out without knickers, but even so...

Still, while she has social workers crawling through her house, it might prove some consolation that her comeback has - in some measure - worked with Gimmie More bouncing in at number three on the Billboard charts. It's unclear if that chart position was quite worth the trade of her soul, her dignity and her sanity; it's also not certain what she has left for the album.

Britney's bodyguard blows the lot

Today's News of the World has decided that, since the "bodyguard's testimony" missed its chance of appearing in open court, it might as well run it as an exclusive. Although since Tony Barretto's drugs-and-nudity claims have been aired, extensively, in all media around the world, it's not entirely clear what's exclusive here.

Perhaps what's fresh is Barretto's explanation of why he decided to testify:

"I gave evidence to the court because Britney is out of control and needs help.

"I have done this for her children. She's not a good mother. She has mental problems. With her drug and booze issues, her home is no place for kids to be raised."

Tony doesn't explain how he thinks then selling this information to a newspaper will help "the children", though.