Hurley's Ex-Squeeze Sues British Paper

By Stephen M. Silverman

12/27/2001 at 01:55 AM EST

It's gotten very bitter between actress-model Elizabeth Hurley, 36, and her former squeeze, millionaire movie producer Stephen Bing, 36, whom she claims is the father of her unborn baby. He claims he's unsure whether or not he is the father. Now there's a new wrinkle to the dispute, with Bing's having filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court on Wednesday against the British tabloid, The Mirror, for printing his office phone number and urging readers to call him personally and berate him for his allegedly unchivalrous behavior, reports Reuters. Early this month, Bing, a real estate scion whose films include the recent unsuccessful remake of "Get Carter," issued a statement in which he said that he and the "Bedazzled" star were not in an exclusive relationship, but that if the child were his, he would be a "responsible parent." In his lawsuit, Bing is asking for damages of at least $10 million and claiming libel, invasion of privacy, and infliction of emotional distress. Shortly after Bing's statement was released, The Mirror referred to him as a "sleazeball" and published his phone number in large print. "He got death threats," Bing's lawyer, Martin Singer, told Reuters. "It was a very reckless thing to do." There has not been a comment from The Mirror on the suit.