Lily Allen has landed herself in hot water with her record bosses - and has placed the blame squarely on her producer pal Mark Ronson. The Smile singer is facing the wrath of the big wigs at EMI after her version of Britney Spears's new single Womanizer was leaked online.

Thanks Mark: Lily Allen and Mark Ronson

Allen, 24, had recorded the song in a tribute to Spears and sent it to Ronson to play on his New York-based internet radio show, Authentic S, after he asked her if she had any new material.

But Britney is signed to rival label Sony BMG, so Lil's bosses are furious she has released a popular track by one of their artists. Lily, 23, said: "Now, some of you may be wondering why I covered Womanizer - simple really, I love Britney and I love the song.

"Mark Ronson asked me for something no-one had heard to play on his radio show, and Womanizer was the only song I had as an attachment on my Blackberry, and I couldn't get home to send him anything else in time."

But fans of the show took their chance and recorded the song and leaked it on the web. Speaking on her MySpace blog, she added: "It wasn't my intention for it to have whizzed round the world like it has.

"I had asked him to talk all over it so it wouldn't get ripped, but he didn't. Thanks Mark - for getting me in serious trouble with my record company."

The cover is a stripped down, pianobacked version of Britney's synth-heavy original, and has been going down a storm with fans online.

It's not the first time Lily has complimented Britney.

Earlier this week she showered her with praise, while simultaneously putting the boot into Madonna. She said: "Madonna is the most overrated artist of all time. Britney is a goddess and her new album is amazing."

We wonder what Brit would say to that. If her zombie-like appearance on the X Factor the other week is anything to go by, probably: " That ' s amazing, wonderful, thank you. I love London."