JENNIFER ANISTON - ANISTON THANKS SIMPSON

Hollywood star JENNIFER ANISTON has sent her thanks to JESSICA SIMPSON, for deflecting media attention away from her high-profile split from BRAD PITT.

Despite Aniston and Pitt's amicable split in January (05), Simpson and her now-estranged husband NICK LACHEY have featured in more tabloid stories over the year, which came to a climax when they announced their separation on 23 November (05).

Aniston says, "(The paparazzi invade my life because) there are so many new celebrity magazines out there. They're desperate to fill their pages.

"I'm just grateful to poor Jessica Simpson for taking some of the heat off me.

"(However, I am) grateful to the legitimate press. Given what's been going on in my life, they've been really great. They could have been a lot meaner."