Northern Ireland

Liam Neeson `was joking' about incredibly famous new love

Sometimes there is smoke without fire - Liam Neeson has clarified he was joking about finding a new love
Sometimes there is smoke without fire - Liam Neeson has clarified he was joking about finding a new love Sometimes there is smoke without fire - Liam Neeson has clarified he was joking about finding a new love

THE international frenzy over Liam Neeson's new romance has turned out to have been triggered by his mischievous Irish humour.

The Ballymena-born movie star told the Sunday Independent, he would only embarrass tje "incredibly famous" woman if he decided to reveal her name.

"I'll have to do my best for her. It's amazing how far a simple bunch of freshly picked flowers will go in a lady's life, I find," he said.

That prompted a hunt for the lucky lady, with showbiz pages going through the Hollywood A-list in forensic detail to match the `Taken' actor to a new leading lady.

They included Twilight star Kristen Stewart, Madonna, Charlize Theron, Susan Sarandon and Sharon Stone.

Neeson's past loves include Helen Mirren, Brooke Shields and Julia Roberts.

However, weary of the fevered speculation, he issued a statement to US celebrity magazine People via a representative.

"He was joking with an Irish journalist while conducting an interview promoting a documentary, and the humorous tone of that statement did not translate in the printed version of the interview."

Neeson's wife Natasha Richardson died in 2009 from an epidural hematoma after a skiing accident in Canada.

They have two sons Micheál and Daniel.