Taylor's ill health played down

Dame Elizabeth Taylor is 'fine' and is soon expected to return home from a 'precautionary' spell in hospital, her publicist has said.

Dick Guttman called reports that the 76-year-old actress is seriously ill as "dramatic, overstated and untrue".

But he declined to give further details about the Oscar winner's condition or where she is receiving treatment.

Mr Guttman added: "At present, she is surrounded by family, friends and fabulous jewels."

Over the last decade Dame Elizabeth has been dogged by a number of health problems which have left her confined to a wheelchair.

Denied speculation

She has broken her back five times, had a benign brain tumour removed in 1997, and suffers from the brittle bone disease osteoporosis.

In 2004, the actress suffered from congestive heart failure, which compounded by spinal fractures and a curvature left her almost bedridden.

In an interview with CNN in 2006, she denied speculation that she was gravely ill or being treated for Alzheimer's disease, saying: "Oh come on, do I look like I'm dying?"

Dame Elizabeth began her Hollywood career as a teenager in films such as Lassie Come Home and National Velvet.

She won best actress Oscars for Butterfield 8 in 1960 and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? six years later.

The screen star, who has three children and adopted a fourth with ex-husband Richard Burton, was made a dame by the Queen in 2000.