Celebrity photographer Annie Leibovitz has leapt to the defense of Miley Cyrus, insisting the controversial Vanity Fair photographs she took of the 15-year-old are "simple" and "beautiful." One of Leibovitz's photos of the pop sensation, wearing just a blanket wrapped around her bare back and chest has incited media outrage, prompting an "embarrassed" Cyrus to issue an apology, claiming that she was manipulated into posing for the pictures. But the renowned photographer is defending her work, insisting the full concept of the photo shoot was discussed with the star and her minders prior to the release of the provocative images. In a statement released on Monday, Leibovitz says, "I'm sorry that my portrait of Miley (Cyrus) has been misinterpreted. Miley and I looked at fashion photographs together and we discussed the picture in that context before we shot it. The photograph is a simple, classic portrait, shot with very little makeup, and I think it is very beautiful." Leibovitz's statement follows Vanity Fair's defense of the shoot, after its images were condemned by the star's Disney Channel bosses, who accused the publication of creating a situation "to deliberately manipulate a 15-year-old in order to sell magazines."

Tom Cruise has got so much to say about life, faith and love his upcoming re-appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show has been split into two segments. The actor will show the talk show queen around his sprawling Telluride, Colorado estate during one segment, which will air in America on Friday. He will return to the Chicago, Illinois TV set, where he made his now-famous couch-jumping proclamation of love to then-fiancee Katie Holmes, for an in-depth interview that will be aired on Monday. The smitten star made a spectacle of himself with his loved-up antics on the talk show in 2005. The two shows have been arranged to coincide with the 25th anniversary of Cruise's breakout movie, Risky Business.

Actress/model Angie Everhart has been arrested for drunk driving - just days after splitting from longtime love Joe Pesci. The 38-year-old was arrested shortly after 2am last Thursday in Los Angeles after failing a sobriety test. According to Tmz.com, Everhart persuaded police officers to allow her to use the toilet in a nearby restaurant before taking the test, which she subsequently failed. She is also reported to have refused to take part in any chemical testing because she claimed her attorney had told her not to. The Denial star was held on $15,000 bail but was released later that day. She is due in court on May 15. It hasn't been a good seven days for Sylvester Stallone's ex - last week, Pesci ended his engagement to Everhart, nine months after proposing. The couple had been together for seven years.

Britney Spears will definitely reprise her role on TV sitcom How I Met Your Mother, after signing a deal to appear in one more episode. The pop star first appeared on the show last month, playing a lovesick secretary - and she'll make her return to the small screen in an episode that is set to air in America on May 12. The episode is scheduled to begin production on Monday and will feature Spears alongside the sitcom's star, Neil Patrick Harris. In a new statement, the show's executive producer and co-creator Craig Thomas says, "We're all so thrilled to have Britney joining us once again." Spears' initial guest appearance on How I Met Your Mother helped the show earn its highest ratings.

Life is imitating art for Baby Mama star Amy Poehler - she's expecting a baby of her own. Just a day after the comedienne's new comedy film, in which she plays a clueless surrogate mom, hit the top of the U.S. box office, the 36-year-old has announced she is pregnant with Arrested Development star Will Arnett's first child. The baby is due in the autumn, their spokesman Lewis Kay confirms. Baby Mama rocketed to the top of the U.S. charts after debuting with $18.3 million during its opening weekend.

Sex & The City star Kim Cattrall has defended her decision to ask for a more money to take part in the forthcoming movie version of the hit show. The actress was at the centre of controversy after she was blamed for stalling the movie, allegedly demanding a much larger paycheck. And Cattrall admits she did complain about the difference in wages between her and co-star Sarah Jessica Parker. But insists she, along with Kristin Davis and Cynthia Nixon, deserved a better offer. She says, "I never expected to be paid what Sarah was being paid. But I felt that the offer was not worthy of what the three of us had contributed. And I spoke up about it. I feel like I stuck my neck out. I fought. I don't ever want to be on a set where I feel undervalued." Cattrall also dismisses rumors she has fallen out with the rest of the cast, insisting it's only natural for work mates to bicker. She adds, "Do you get along with your colleagues all the time? If you're spending 18 hours a day at work, the last thing you want to do is go and have a drink with the people who you just (spend the day with). You just need to get away."

Former child star Gary Coleman and his wife are heading to reality legal show Divorce Court in a bid to save their seven-month marriage. The couple has taped a TV showdown with Divorce Court regular Judge Lynn Toler, hoping her advice can help them reach their first wedding anniversary. The actor, 40, and his 22-year-old bride wed in secret last year but the romance has already been replaced with hostility. In an interview with news show Entertainment Tonight, Coleman Young's wife Shannon admits she's had enough of the former Diff'rent Strokes star's tantrums. She says, "If he doesn't get his way, he throws a temper tantrum like a five-year-old does." Meanwhile, the actor, 40, insists his wife doesn't listen to him: "If I have to throw something or break something, that's what's going to happen." After taping the show recently, Judge Toler asked the couple to return to her courtroom in six months for an update hearing.

Sean Penn played the Pied Piper of activism at the Coachella Festival on Monday when he set off on a protest trip to New Orleans, Louisiana with buses loaded with event revelers. The actor/director took the stage at the festival on Sunday to recruit activists for his Dirty Hands Caravan venture. He called on Coachella festival-goers to "take action" and join him on a cross-country bio-diesel bus caravan. The trip began on Monday morning. Speaking just before My Morning Jacket's set on the main stage at Coachella, Penn told music fans, "This is about volunteerism. Revolution is a young man's job and you can be the revolution." He revealed that singer/songwriter Ben Harper and rockers Everlast would be joining him for the trip to the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. The volunteers will help build houses for the homeless, while protesting the Iraq war with Penn. Penn was hoping to recruit 300 Coachella revelers to join him on the bus tour to New Orleans and back to Los Angeles.

Whoopi Goldberg has defended jailed actor Wesley Snipes and insists he has been used to "set an example" to the American people. Last week, the Blade actor was handed a three-year jail term by Florida Judge William Terrell Hodges after, he was convicted of failing to file his taxes for five years. But Goldberg is convinced Hollywood stars who break the law are being used as scapegoats by the U.S government in a bid to deter other people from criminal activity. She says, "This is not unusual. With tax evasion, (the Irs) gets very, very agitated and if you're famous they are putting you behind some kind of bar."

Actress Ashley Judd's racing driver husband Dario Franchitti was involved in a high speed car crash during a race in Alabama - but escaped relatively unscathed. Franchitti was competing in the Aaron's 312 Nationwide Series race at the Talladega Superspeedway on Saturday when his car collided with another vehicle, causing a multi-car wreck. But the sportsman escaped with only a broken ankle. The couple wed in 2001 and Judd recently spoke of her fears that her husband's profession may lead to serious injury - but insisted she had made her piece with the risks involved. Franchitti was involved in a previous accident last year. He was almost killed after his car crashed and somersaulted twice during a race in Michigan. Franchitti miraculously escaped with nothing but cuts and bruises.