Actor Jimmy Nail has accepted substantial undisclosed libel damages over a claim that he threw a ''showbiz strop'' during the filming of the new series of Auf Wiedersehen Pet.

His solicitor, Martin Cruddace, told Mr Justice Morland at the High Court in London, that journalist Karen Wight made the allegation in her gossip column in the Sunday Sun in May.

She said that he had insisted on being moved to a more luxurious hotel than the one he was staying at with the other crew members.

She also purported to ''dish the dirt'' on Mr Nail by publishing what were said to be first-hand experiences from listeners of her radio programme on Galaxy Radio, in the North-East, about his alleged behaviour.

Similar allegations were published on the Sunday Sun website at about the same time.

Mr Cruddace said that the Newcastle Chronicle and Journal Ltd and Ms Wight accepted that all the allegations were totally untrue and without any substance whatsoever.

The court heard that the publication of the allegations had caused grave damage to his personal and professional reputation and he had suffered considerable embarrassment and distress.

This was particularly acute, given the timing of the publication to coincide with the new series.

Manuel Barca, counsel for the newspaper publishers and Ms Wight, unreservedly apologised for causing such distress and embarrassment.

The defendants have agreed to pay substantial damages and legal costs to Mr Nail, who was not in court.