Lily wilts under pressure

Pop star Lily Allen has worried fans by posting an online message in which she complains of being "fat and ugly". The 22-year-old has been hailed as a role model for girls because she is not a size zero.

But she writes on her MySpace blog: "I'm afraid I am not strong and have fallen victim to the evil machine. I write to you in a sea of tears from my hotel bed in Seattle. I have spent the past hour researching gastric bypass surgery and laser liposuction."

Fans have bombarded Allen's site with messages of support.