Jude Law: mystery mother riddle solved

The gossip mill has finally got the answer it was looking for after going into overdrive earlier this week when the British actor Jude Law admitted he was fathering a child due to be born to a mystery woman this autumn. Her identity was revealed last night: she is Samantha Burke, a relatively unknown 24-year-old American model, apparently from Pensacola, Florida.

She is a 5ft 10in brunette with green eyes (above, left) who is understood to have had a fling with Law when he was in New York in January. Although their relationship is over, 36-year-old Law has apparently promised to be a 'supportive' father after a DNA test established his paternity.

A statement from Burke's lawyer issued last night said: "Ms Burke can confirm that she did in fact have a relationship with Mr. Law and that she has informed Mr Law that she is expecting his child later this fall. Since informing Mr Law of the pregnancy, he has been nothing but responsive and supportive of Ms. Burke and the pregnancy."

Law (above, right), currently playing Hamlet at the Wyndham's Theatre in London's West End, already has three children by his ex-wife, fashion designer Sadie Frost.

When their six-year marriage ended, he enjoyed a headline-grabbing relationship with the actress Sienna Miller, which came to grief when he slept with his children's nanny.

He remains single but has been linked with a string of women including models Lily Cole and Susan Hoecke and socialite Kimberley Stewart. Until Samantha Burke emerged, there were strong rumours that the woman carrying his child might be a make-up artist called Kayleen McAdams, the sister of Rachel McAdams, his co-star in the new Guy Ritchie film Sherlock Holmes.

However, Kayleen vowed she had never even met him. ·