Britney Spears

Spears & Federline Lawyers Try To Keep Custody Battle Private

Britney Spears

Lawyers for both BRITNEY SPEARS and her ex-husband KEVIN FEDERLINE joined forces in a Los Angeles courtroom on Tuesday (14Aug07), to ask a judge to keep details of their custody battle secret.

The former couple want their custody and child provision dealings kept out of the public eye for the sake of their two sons Sean Preston and Jayden James.

But Los Angeles Superior Court Commissioner Scott Gordon agreed to set a hearing for 14 September (07) so lawyers for American magazine People and local TV station KNBC can argue that Spears and Federline's court records should be made public.

Speaking after the hearing, Spears' lawyer said, "You have got to wonder why the public interest in this case is so great."

Spears and Federline's divorce was finalised last month (30Jul07). At the time, they agreed to joint custody, but Federline has since returned to court seeking further custody following concerns raised in the media about Spears' emotional state and her parenting skills.

Cowell: 'Talbot Was Too Young'

SIMON COWELL and his record label Song BMG have defended their decision to withdraw their offer of a record contract to six-year-old Brit Connie Talbot, insisting she was too young for fame.

Talbot dominated the front pages of all the British tabloid newspapers after she was chosen by Cowell and his fellow judges for the final of TV show Britain's Got Talent in June (07).

Despite Talbot winning over fans with her performance of Somewhere Over The Rainbow, opera star Paul Potts won the final and has since had a number one hit album.

Talbot's father admitted at the weekend (11-12Aug07) that Cowell had reneged on a promise to make the youngster a star.

A statement from Sony BMG reads, "There was some deliberation over the possibility of recording with Connie. However the decision not to proceed was made with the best intentions for Connie, taking into consideration her age and that it would not be right to do so at this time."