After A Band Of Lovers, Damian Lewis Finds His 'Beautiful Vision'

Forsyte star "smitten" with the actress girlfriend he's kept secret for six months.

by Kiki King and Rick Hewitt, The Mail On Sunday, May 15, 2005

For 18 months, heart-throb actor and Band Of Brothers star Damian Lewis has been playing the role of a glamorous single man enjoying life out on the town.

But the 34-year-old star of The Forsyte Saga and Colditz has been keeping a secret -- a new love who close friends predict will one day become his wife.

Old Etonian Damian has been clandestinely dating actress Helen McCrory for six months after breaking up with his previous long-term partner, Channel 4 news presenter Katie Razzall.

Only a handful of close friends and family know about the relationship with Helen, who dated actor Rufus Sewell for two years.

Damian and Helen, 35, have steered clear of celebrity events and have been careful not to be seen too often in public together.

But as our exclusive picture shows, they are very much in love. The pair are seen here leaving the actor's home in North London on the way out to dinner last week.

Those within Damian's inner circle of friends have described him as "smitten".

One said: "Damian and Helen have been very discreet about their relationship -- they don't hang out with the celebrity set in a bid to get publicity. Theirs is a very real relationship and they are looking forward to a long future together."

Damian has long been seen as one of Britain's most eligible bachelors and has been linked to an astonishing number of women, including It Girl Tamara Beckwith, American actress Alexa Davalos, Sex And The City star Kristin Davis and actress Sophia Myles, his co-star in Colditz.

But in a recent interview he insisted he had been single since splitting from Katie, who went on to marry his close friend and fellow Old Etonian Oliver Milburn last December.

"I'm too shallow not to enjoy it," he said of the gossip and rumours connected with his allegedly varied love life.

"I've been single for a year-and-a-half, and I suppose I'll stay single until I'm knocked over by a hot gust of wind and a beautiful vision."

Last night, however, in Cannes, where he is promoting his film Chromophobia, Damian confirmed he was indeed in a relationship.

"Yes, there is someone new. I really don't want to talk about it but I am very happy. Absolutely."

Damian, who also starred in the spoof BBC drama Jeffrey Archer: The Truth, met Helen when they appeared in a play at the Almeida Theatre in Islington last year.

But those close to them say the friendship, and professional relationship, quickly blossomed into a love affair. Much of the couple's early courtship took place in Wales, where Damian has a country home.

The friend added: "They often go to Wales as they love the country life. It allows them the freedom a celebrity couple can't get in London."

Damian has always been openly cautious about marriage -- or even living with a woman. In an interview, he said: "I don't quite understand sharing my life entirely with someone unless it was the person I thought I might share the rest of my life with."

He has, however, also daydreamed about settling down.

"I've always had this idea of a tumbledown family house -- artistic, not too posh, but elegant and beautiful -- somewhere in North London.

"There are times when I have a tremendous nostalgia for that life I might have. I think finding the person you want to spend the rest of your entire life with is part of one's innate ambition in life."

Caption: Split: With ex-girlfriend Katie Razzall.

Caption: Heart-throb: He was linked to Colditz co-star Sophia Myles.

Caption: Screen wedding: But there was no romance playing Jeffrey Archer alongside Polly Walker.

Caption: Hand of lovers: Damian Lewis and Helen McCrory pictured leaving his North London home last week.