Manelli reaches out to Britney

Liza Minnelli has offered her support to Britney Spears, insisting the troubled star is suffering a "disease".

The diva has battled drug addictions in the past, so can sympathise with Spears.

"I just feel horrible for (Britney Spears)," said Minnelli.

"You know, she's got a disease. And when you have a disease, you cannot help it. So it's not your fault, but you're responsible for it. I just feel so bad for her because I don't think anybody really understands what's going on."

But the 'Cabaret' star is baffled by the publicity Spears' plight has earned her.

She told Florida newspaper the St Petersburg Times: "The way the press is now, she's getting so much attention. Somebody said to me the other day: 'God, you have to go to jail to get a good review.' It's an interesting period.

"They used to have clauses and contracts where you can't get bad publicity or you'd get fired. But now bad publicity is good publicity. I just keep working and don't think about it much."