BBC News Online: Entertainment: Showbiz

Bonham Carter dates Apes director

Bonham Carter is one of Britain's biggest talents

Burton has split with his long-term girlfriend Lisa Marie and has embarked on a relationship with the Oscar-nominated actress.

Her spokeswoman Melody Korenbrot confirmed the pair were now a couple, but stressed they had only been together a matter of weeks and were starting a "brand new relationship".

The pair have been spotted strolling arm in arm around London.

Burton had been with model Lisa Marie, who he cast in four of his films including Ed Wood and Sleepy Hollow, since the early 90s.

In a recent interview with Playboy magazine Burton said she had been an inspiration to him.

Most recently she appeared in Burton's remake of Planet of the Apes playing a simian and the pair attended the London première together.

Bonham Carter, 35, also starred in the movie as an ape, spending hours each day in make-up to create the special effects.

But the couple deny they got together on set.

Burton has previously been married, to German painter Lena Gieseke.

Bonham Carter, who was nominated for an Academy Award for Wings of a Dove, was previously involved with British actor and director Kenneth Branagh.

The pair met while filming Frankenstein, at a time when his marriage to Emma Thompson was disintegrating.

They were together for a number of years but split two years ago.