KATY PERRY GLAD SHE AVOIDED TEEN STARDOM

Katy Perry is happy her career took off when she was in her twenties - because she's avoided the fate of many child stars who "mess up" in the spotlight.

The singer found fame with the release of her debut single, I Kissed A Girl, in 2008 when she was aged 23, and she's convinced that not hitting the headlines as a teenager has saved her from a lot of controversy.

She tells Britain's Radio 2, "My first record didn't take off until I was 23 so I was perhaps in a different headspace to someone who became successful at a younger age. If you're starting at 14 or 15 your maturity hasn't fully evolved.

"I'm not going to say I won't mess up, because someday I might want to shave my head. I'm lucky because I have a great support system."