18 JANUARY 2002
Forget Beatlemania, here comes Britney Fever! The 20-year-old singer and fledgling movie star jetted into London yesterday for two engagements – but brought along a retinue that made the blonde bombshell look as if she would be staying in the British capital for two years!

Arriving yesterday by private jet, Britney and her entourage needed five capacious people-carriers to be transported from Heathrow airport to Central London. The star was being put up in the £4,700-a-night Imperial Suite at the five-star Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Knightsbridge, having requested a move from the St Martin’s Lane Hotel when she allegedly discovered that chart rival Pink was booked in there as well.

The girlfriend of ‘N Sync frontman Justin Timberlake is in London for two days to promote the Tamra Davis-directed movie, Crossroads, in which she stars as a teenage American who goes on a voyage of self-discovery. She signed up to appear on comedian Frank Skinner’s near-the-knuckle chat show, as well as Top Of The Pops, and CD:UK where she will sing her new single. Radio interviews have also been scheduled.

The pop star popped out for a spot of shopping in the capital with her minder, 6ft 4in Rob Feggans, who weighs in at an impressive 25 stone. Despite being clad in an attention-grabbing outfit of jeans, tie-dyed shirt, floppy hat and leopardskin coat, Britney was able to browse the jewellery department of Harvey Nichols without being recognised.