Scrum Begins for Paris Hilton's Post-prison Interview

America's insatiable fascination with Paris Hilton took another twist today as television networks reportedly began a bidding war to interview the Californian celebrity after she leaves jail next week.

Quoting unidentified sources, the New York Post said NBC News had agreed to pay up to $1m (£500,000) for an exclusive interview with Ms Hilton, an hotel heiress popularly known as the "heir-head", when she is released from the Century regional detention center in Lynwood, California after a 45-day sentence for a probation violation.

"The deal has infuriated ABC News executives because they were banking on Hilton's first remarks as a free woman going to (anchorwoman) Barbara Walters, who has become close with Hilton's mom, Kathy," the Post said.

Neither NBC News nor ABC News have commented on the report, part of a growing media frenzy surrounding the imminent public reappearance of the notoriously knickerless celeb.

Ms Hilton's jailhouse fan mail is said to total 5,000 letters since she went down three weeks ago. In a reply to one fan, published by the showbiz website, E! Online, she thanked her correspondent for writing, "especially at such a difficult and scary time in my life".

Ms Hilton added: "I am being strong and trying to make the best out of the situation. And the letters I'm receiving really do put a smile on my face as I sit here in my cell, sad and alone."

Her Beverly Hills neighbors are meanwhile complaining that Ms Hilton's rise to prominence has led to tragedy - involving a pet cat reportedly known simply as Pussy.

"She treats her animals horribly," neighbor Shelby Segall said this week. "She had a little orange kitty that kept getting out. She didn't seem like she cared. And then one day the cat got run over in the middle of the street and died."