ONE TREE HILL - BUSH DEFENDS SPEARS' PREGNANCY

ONE TREE HILL star SOPHIA BUSH has leapt to the defence of pregnant popstar BRITNEY SPEARS, insisting people shouldn't judge her for starting a family so soon after her marriage.

The brunette beauty has been engaged to her One Tree Hill co-star CHAD MICHAEL MURRAY for nearly a year (begsMAY04) and while she is in no rush to marry her fiance, she believes Spears is unfairly lambasted for her speedy relationship with husband KEVIN FEDERLINE.

Spears caused controversy when she first started dating Federline in April 2004 - because his girlfriend SHAR JACKSON was six months pregnant with their second child.

After only dating for two months, the pair got engaged and wed in September (04), leading many fellow celebrities, fans and the media to claim Spears was rushing into marriage.

After hearing of Spears' pregnancy, Bush tells MTV.COM, "Good for her. If she's ready, and they're ready, none of us are going to really ever know what goes on in their house and their relationship, so more power to her."