Gwyneth Paltrow has said the media frenzy surrounding Britney Spears, as well as her relationship with photographer Adnan Ghalib, have caused the singer to go "insane".

The Hollywood actress accused the paparazzi and Ghalib of pushing the troubled star over the edge by constantly following her and scrutinising her behaviour.

Paltrow, whose own marriage to Chris Martin has been pored over in the press, said: "Look at what they've done to Britney. The paparazzi and magazines have blood on their hands. They literally made her go insane.

"She's got classic Stockholm Syndrome - she fell in love with a paparazzo and went insane."

"The photographers and editors of these magazines have such bad karma. It's pretty dark."