GMTV's Kate Garraway sues over dancer story

GMTV presenter Kate Garraway poses at the ''National Television Awards'' at the Royal Albert Hall in London October 31, 2007. Garraway is to sue two newspapers for libel over a ''sad, hurtful and totally untrue'' story about her relationship with her teacher on ''Strictly Come Dancing''.

LONDON (Reuters) - GMTV presenter Kate Garraway is to sue two newspapers for libel over a "sad, hurtful and totally untrue" story about her relationship with her teacher on "Strictly Come Dancing".

Garraway, 39, married to former Labour spin doctor Derek Draper, said she was extremely upset by the article about her and Anton Du Beke, one of the professional dancers on the BBC One show.

Her lawyers Schillings said that false allegations that the pair were having an affair were published in the Sunday Mirror and Daily Mirror this week.

In a statement, Garraway said: "Contrary to these insinuations, Derek and I are as faithful, happy and in love today as we have ever been.

"The plain truth is that Anton and I became friends during 'Strictly Come Dancing'.

"Since then we often work and hang out together. For that to be twisted into something else is sad, hurtful and totally untrue.

"I am extremely upset and hurt by the allegations. I made it clear before publication that there was no truth to them whatsoever."

Draper said in a statement: "Anton is a great bloke and I am sorry that his and Kate's friendship has been distorted like this."

Schillings has begun libel proceedings at the High Court in London. The allegations were published in the Sunday Mirror at the weekend.

A spokesman for Trinity Mirror, which publishes the Sunday Mirror and Daily Mirror, had no immediate comment.

Garraway was the seventh celebrity to be voted off Strictly Come Dancing last November after winning over the audience, but failing to impress the judges.

The mother-of-one joined GMTV in 2000 after working for BBC News 24, Sky News and regional ITV news shows.

(Reporting by Peter Griffiths; editing by Steve Addison)