Britney Spears Duped by Tabloid Protégé  4/12/05

Representatives for pop star Britney Spears are fuming after she unwittingly gave an interview to the 10-year-old daughter of a tabloid journalist.

The kind-hearted chart-topper agreed to chat candidly with Veronica You after she approached Spears at Los Angeles' L'Merigot Hotel and asked for an interview for her school newspaper.

But the singer's team have now discovered Veronica's mother is former STAR magazine boss Brenda You.

Nevertheless, You senior has reassured Spears her budding protege was genuine and her story really was intended only for her school newspaper, reports DEFAMER.COM.