...and demands damages over press stories

Rowan Atkinson has taken legal action over what he called "quite ridiculous" newspaper reports he checked into a clinic on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

His solicitors are demanding an apology and damages from the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday over the "highly defamatory" claims.

And other newspaper editors have been warned not to repeat the allegations.

He has denied suffering from any form of depression, or spending five weeks at a clinic receiving treatment for it.

Atkinson is demanding an immediate and prominent apology, an undertaking not to repeat the allegations and for the articles to be removed from the Mail's databases, according to the Guardian.

Published: 20 Jan 2004