We've all been there -- doing the old crash diet days before a big event, determined to make up for our sins in the last few months by erasing them with near-fasting eating habits. So I guess we can commiserate with Britney Spears amid reports that she's frantically trying to slim dow in preparation for her upcoming live performance on the popular British talent show X Factor. It will be her first time on British TV in five years.

"She goes to bed hungry and is dieting so hard she's suffering from insomnia, anxiety, flushes and shakes," says a friend close to the singer. "Her father and the people around her are trying to get her to eat more, but Britney is determined not to be criticised for having any extra bulk."

Fair enough, I guess, considering the fury she raised when she performed last year with a bit of extra padding. Still, I hope she's dieting healthfully.