Miley Cyrus: 'Britney Spears understands my fame struggle'

Miley Cyrus has forged a close bond with fellow former Disney star Britney Spears over their shared struggles growing up in the public eye, calling the Toxic singer the "one person who gets it".

The 20-year-old former Hannah Montana star began her acting career at the tender age of nine, and admits it wasn't easy battling through her teenage years in the spotlight.

However, Cyrus insists pop singer Spears, who was just 11 years old when she was cast on Disney TV show The Mickey Mouse Club, understands the problems of making the transition from child star to adult.

She tells the Huffington Post UK, "Everyone goes through a time in their life where they don't want their picture taken every day. She just never had that time where she could say, 'I'm going through something right now and need to shut down.' I also don't have that, so it's good to have that one person in my life who gets it."

Spears, 31, experienced a highly-publicised breakdown and hospitalisation in 2008, but she has since made a career comeback with her chart-topping 2011 album Femme Fatale, a judging stint on The X Factor and an upcoming residency in Las Vegas.