Justin Timberlake had no intention of performing at the Super Bowl's half- time show on Sunday - but pal Janet Jackson begged him to duet with her. Timberlake was a surprise addition to Jackson's performance, during which he ripped open her bustier to reveal a naked breast, and he only agreed to jet back from Spain for the show when Jackson called in a favor. And now the singer wishes he had remained in Europe and avoided the controversy surrounding the incident. He reveals, "I've been on tour for the past three months and I got a call from my manager to do the Super Bowl. I initially turned it down. Then I got a call from Janet and decided to do it. We found out a way to work the performance into one musically, her song going into mine."

Pop star Britney Spears stunned the world by getting wed for 55 hours last month because she "really wanted to see what it was like to be married". The singer, who married childhood friend Jason Alexander in a shock 5am Las Vegas ceremony, has explained she has no regrets about the episode - but concedes it has taught her to think before she acts in future. She explains, "Honestly, I really wanted to see what it was like to be married. Maybe that sounds silly. But in that moment, I was with a friend I love and I wanted to do something wild and crazy and I wanted to get married. So that's why I did it. Since the wedding, it's made me want to think about what I do a little more." Spears, 22, adds she also has no regrets about her chosen career - despite being in the limelight from an early age. She says, "I chose this for my life and I feel very blessed. There are always ups and downs with anything that you do. At first, when I was young it was very cool in a way because I was naive and oblivious to the whole thing. But once you get older you become a little more aware, which is kind of a sad thing. Sometimes I try and snap into that mode of, 'You must have to live your life, and do what you love to do and move on and focus on positive things.'"

Robert Blake's murder trial has been thrown into chaos this week - after his defense attorney Thomas Mesereau quit unexpectedly. Judge Darlene Schempp was forced to release Mesereau from his duties after discovering he and the former Baretta star - who is accused of murdering wife Bonnie Lee Bakely in 2001 - had irreconcilable differences between them. She told Los Angeles Superior Court: "I had a very lengthy discussion with Tom Mesereau and Robert Blake. There are irreconcilable differences between Mr Blake and Mr Mesereau and I have agreed to release Mr Mesereau." Mesereau is the third defense attorney to leave Blake's case - he replaced Harland Braun who also found working with Blake to be impossible. And the impact of his departure on the trial is certain to be profound. It is expected that the case will be halted for several weeks while his replacement tries to digest the huge amount of paperwork pertaining to the trial. And prosecutor Deputy District Attorney Shelly Samuels was keen to discover how much time will be given to the new addition to Blake's legal team. Judge Schempp promised: "I will keep someone on the shortest leash I possibly can." Blake must return to the courthouse on February 23 to present his new attorney to the Judge. Mesereau has refused to give a detailed account of the problems between him and Mr. Blake.

Actor John Hurt has made a drunken spectacle of himself again - this time at London's Empire Film Awards on Wednesday night. The 64-year-old was in the news yesterday when it was revealed he had been ejected from a lap dancing bar after being drunk and offensive - and gave another alcohol-fueled performance at the awards bash at the Dorchester Hotel. Hurt presented a Career Achievement Award to his Alien co-star Sigourney Weaver, but struggled to read from the autocue as he introduced her. One guest told Britain's Daily Mail newspaper, "It was absolutely excruciating. You didn't know whether to feel sorry for him or just tell him to get on with it." Hurt then admitted to reporters from the Daily Mirror he likes to dress up in women's clothing. He said, "Every man wants to be a woman, and ones who deny it are lying. I'd love to be a woman. You have beautiful clothes - all soft blouses and pretty skirts. I like dressing up." Slurring his words, he then went on to proposition the journalists, referring to their lap dance story. He asked, "Do you girls offer yourselves, do you, do you? You're a naughty one. What are we going to do with you? I bet you've got really big nipples. Show me."

Oscar-nominated director Spike Lee has slammed Janet Jackson's shock breast-baring during the Super Bowl half-time show, branding it a "new low" in headline-grabbing stunts by stars. At the end of her duet with Justin Timberlake on Sunday, the pop hunk snatched off part of Jackson's bustier on stage, revealing a breast clad only in a sun-shaped nipple shield - and enraging millions of Americans watching the American football final. And the disgusted Do The Right Thing film-maker believes it's now not enough to be a good singer, and that entertainers "have to do something extra" - like publicity stunts such as the kiss between Madonna and Britney Spears at August's MTV Video Music Awards. He says, "What's gonna be next? It's getting crazy, and it's all down to money. Money and fame. Somehow the whole value system has been upended."

Kill Bill director Quentin Tarantino has hinted at a romance with pal Uma Thurman - despite recently declaring his joy for her new relationship with hotelier Andre Balazs. The eccentric film-maker had been rumored to be dating statuesque Thurman after her marriage to Ethan Hawke dissolved last year, but Tarantino dispelled any suspicions of such a relationship when he confirmed her romance with Balazs. But now Tarantino says on whether he and Thurman have advanced their relationship past the friendship stage, "I'm not saying that we haven't, and I'm not saying that we have. We love each other, but we're almost too close now to be a couple. We had out life together on Kill Bill. It was like a marriage in every way."

Hollywood superstar Brad Pitt will give viewers of his new film a rare treat - the sight of his naked posterior. The Fight Club star is currently filming thriller Mr And Mrs Smith alongside Oscar-winning actress Angelina Jolie and the tale includes one very steamy love scene. In the film, Pitt and Jolie play a bored married couple who discover they are both assassins, reigniting their relationship. And in order to cater for both men and women, director Doug Liman will include a racy shot of the Girl, Interrupted beauty's breasts in the smoldering scene. A source says, "Men are finally getting a bird's eye view of Angelina's breasts in a steamy encounter. This is going to be one hot movie."

Oscar winner Catherine Zeta-Jones is being targeted by a radical anti- smoking group - who plan to hound her until she stops playing characters who smoke on-screen. The Chicago beauty, 34, incurred the wrath of the Utah-based organization Phoenix Alliance - who are predominantly comprised of teenagers - by puffing away as screen siren Velma Kelly. And in order to persuade her to change her career choices, the group are sending postcards to all Catherine and husband Michael Douglas's homes. They also plan to swamp other 'A' listers with similar appeals. Spokeswoman Courtney Moffet says, "We're going to send mail to every one of her properties until she stops accepting roles in which she smokes."

Animal rights activists have praised Halle Berry for publicly stating she would never consider adopting a Bengal tiger. Reports emerged recently that the Oscar-winning actress was considering adding one of the endangered animals - which appears in her forthcoming film Catwoman - to her household. Berry was so disgusted by the reports, she released a statement saying she "would never dream of keeping an animal of that sort out of its natural habitat". Andi Bernat, program coordinator for The Fund For Animals, enthuses, "We hope other people will follow Ms Berry's example and will not keep tigers in captivity. Keeping an exotic animal as a 'pet' is not only cruel, but is also extremely dangerous for people." According to statistics, an estimated 10,000 'pet' tigers reside in American homes, twice as many as those who remain in the wild.

Hotel heiress Paris Hilton has been tapped to take on her biggest role yet - as the host of this year's Miss USA pageant. The 22-year-old blonde has been handpicked by property mogul Donald Trump to lead his 53rd annual contest, which will be held on April 12 in Los Angeles. Trump, who came up with the idea while spending time with Hilton's parents Kathy and Rick at his Mar-a-lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, says, "I've known Paris since she was a little girl. She's a fine girl... I think she will give the pageant its highest TV ratings."

Hollywood actor Bill Murray's apparent jokes about firing his agent and his personal trainer committing suicide at the Golden Globe Awards have turned out to be true. The screen star accepted a Best Actor award at the Hollywood ceremony late last month for his efforts in acclaimed movie Lost In Translation - and proceeded to draw laughter when he told the audience he'd dismissed his agents "months ago" and his "personal trainer killed himself". While many put the comments down to Murray's dry humor, it turns out his agent Rick Kurtzman did "part company with Murray two months ago", according to an assistant to the Creative Artists Agency representative. And his personal trainer Raphael Picaud took his own life in July, confirm friends of the French fitness guru, who ran the exercise studio Body Maxx Exclusive Training Center in Los Angeles.