Oscar-winning actress Kate Winslet is suing the Daily Mail newspaper for £150,000 over an article which claimed she had lied about her fitness regime.

In papers filed at London’s High Court, the film star said she was “distressed and embarrassed” by the feature.

The 33-year-old added the claims injured her personal and professional reputation, and is seeking a ban on them being republished.

The paper has not agreed to a bar on their repetition, documents state.

In the story, headlined “Should Kate Winslet win an Oscar for the world’s most irritating actress?”, it was claimed that the star had underplayed the amount of exercise she needed to stay in shape.

The article disputed a quote given to Elle magazine, in which Winslet said: “I don’t go to the gym because I don’t have time, but I do Pilates workout DVDs for 20 minutes or more every day at home.”

In the court papers, Winslet says she was particularly upset by the very unpleasant and nasty way in which the article was written.

It is understood that the actress took exception because she is often identified as a role model for young women who accept the way they look.

In 2007, Winslet accepted an undisclosed settlement from Grazia magazine over allegations that she had visited a diet doctor.

The publication apologised and accepted that Winslet had visited a medic to be treated for a neck problem.

Earlier this year, the screen star won a host of awards – including the Oscar for best actress – for her role in The Reader.

SOURCE:  www..bbc.co.uk