Shirley Manson lived up to her tough talking reputation this week when she branded Christina Aguilera “a cunt”.

Taking time out from working on the new Garbage album, the singer observed: “Life can be so glorious sometimes. Christina Aguilera’s MTV Diary was just on and I was cackling with glee for the entire duration of this choice piece of programming. What marvellous entertainment!

“There’s a particularly nauseating scene where we lucky viewers get to witness something really intimate and sacred. We get to see a cheap rehash of a scene pulled straight out of In Bed With Madonna where we witness tiny Christina backstage before a show surrounded by her wonderfully sincere circle of true, lifelong ‘friends’.

“They’re all unselfconsciously immersed in a pre-show ritual which consists of everyone performing on stage that night holding hands together and praying to God to help Christina’s voice during the show etc. etc. Oh puleeeeeease!”

Her rant finishes with an exhortation for Aguilera “to be a nicer person. Perhaps that would bring you closer to God because rumour has it from numerous and decidedly reliable sources that you are an absolute cunt.

“Secondly: I know this may come as a ghastly surprise to you but I’m pretty sure that the Lord God Almighty just might have some rather more pressing matters to attend to than ensuring you and your ‘friends’ have a good show.”

Having got that off her chest, Manson revealed that the follow up to Version 2.0 is at the mixing stage, and will probably hit the racks in October.