Libel payout for actor Jimmy Nail

Nail said he was "sickened" by the allegations

Actor Jimmy Nail has won £30,000 libel damages over newspaper and book claims about his sex life and alleged greed.

He sued over a "disgraceful" 2002 article in the News of the World and Geraint Jones' 1998 biography Nailed.

The Auf Wiedersehen Pet star's legal team said he was "very happy" with the outcome against News Group Newspapers and Harper Collins Publishers.

But Nail is facing costs estimated at £200,000 because he refused a £37,500 offer to settle the case last year.

Nail was not at London's High Court on Friday, when the damages were awarded.

What I saw and read made me first unsteady on my feet, then sick to the pit of my stomach Jimmy Nail

Adrienne Paige QC, for News Group and Harper Collins, expressed their "complete acceptance" that the allegations were untrue and defamatory - and their sincere apologies.

Mr Justice Eady, sitting without a jury, ruled the News Group should pay £22,500 and Harper Collins £7,500.

Nail gave evidence during the hearing and described how he felt when saw the News of the World headline in his local newsagent.

"What I saw and read made me first unsteady on my feet, then sick to the pit of my stomach," he said.

'Worst experience'

Nail said that sitting down to explain the "inexplicable, disgraceful, disgusting article" to his partner and their two sons was one "of the worst experiences of my life".

He said he was unaware of the biography until Shane Spall - the wife of his Auf Wiedersehen Pet co-star Timothy Spall - saw it at Heathrow Airport and called Nail's partner Miriam.

The allegations made in the News of the World article had drawn heavily from the contents in the biography.

In December 2002, Nail won undisclosed damages from newspaper publishers after they ran stories claiming he had been difficult and demanding during filming.