By OLIVER PICKUP

Hit me, baby: The Britney Spears lookalike swings at 'Simon Cowell' at a dinner for the best celebrity doppelgangers in Britain

Britney Spears burst on to the popular music scene as a 16-year-old in 1998 with her song '... Baby One More Time', which asked a would-be lover to 'hit me baby'.

The career of the American singer, now 29, has peaked and troughed drastically since that breakthrough, and at times that violent streak has bubbled over, alarmingly.


Intimate: Britney is shown popping an onion bhaji in Simon's mouth in the Indian restaurant in Burton-on-Trent


But few diners tucking in to their onion bhajis and poppadoms at Apne Indian restaurant in Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire would expect to see the princess of pop walloping music mogul Simon Cowell across the chops during a romantic meal.

But stunned customers were left gob-smacked when their favourite celebrities walked in and one said: 'I couldn't believe what I was seeing when I saw Britney and Simon Cowell having dinner together.


Late opera super star Luciano Pavarotti is shown indulging in two glasses of wine while Michelle Obama's lookalike laughs beside the Italian


'It looked friendly at first and even quite intimate with them feeding each other onion bhaji's but suddenly he said something and she stood up and slapped him one.

'It was astonishing and everyone in the restaurant gasped until they both started laughing and explained they were lookalikes.

'It was hilarious but they really did have everyone fooled. People had their mobile phones out filming it thinking they'd got a big celebrity scoop.'


David Beckham is joined at dinner by Ricky Gervais and Gareth from the Office - or so it would appear as a group of the best look-a-likes in the UK gather for their annual dinner


The pair were joined by lookalikes for Office star Ricky Gervais, US first lady Michelle Obama, former England ace David Beckham, Elton John, Cliff Richard and comic Roy Chubby Brown.

The group, led by the Pavarotti doppleganger Colin Miller, 60, will compete in the global lookalike contest 'Reel Awards' in Las Vegas on February 21 next year.

Colin, who earns up to £1,000 a week for appearing as the late opera singer, said: 'We are all looking to fly out to Las Vegas to take part in an annual convention for look-a-likes.


Sir Elton John's lookalike grabs David Beckham's bottom, the singer then takes hold of the footballer's face


'Every year, Americans romp away with the awards. We want to go out there to fly the flag for Britain.

'Americans like to come first and it is our plan to get a good number of lookalikes together and go over and take part.

'It will be a bit like the British Olympic team but for impersonators. 'We are in touch with a public relations guy and we are putting a package together.'


Isn't that ... ? The full collection of doppelgangers line up outside the Indian restaurant in Burton-onTrent


source: dailymail