Injunction actor named in Irish newspaper

The Sunday Herald set a precedent last month after it exposed Ryan Giggs' alleged affair. Now an Irish newspaper has identified a married actor who supposedly obtained an injunction to conceal details of an affair with a married colleague.

The publication -- which publishes Northern Ireland and Ireland editions -- also included a photograph of the celebrity along with details of the alleged affair.

It claims to have revealed the actor referred to as ETK in court documents and his lover, known only as X.

The two actors are said to have started an affair while filming a popular television programme.

In April, three Appeal Court judges cited privacy laws when the court ruled the figure must be protected from public exposure by a newspaper which had planned to expose details of the affair.

But the legal gagging order is only applicable in Britain and its contents can be reported in the Republic of Ireland.

On the social networking site Twitter, more than 100,000 users have already seen claims of ETK's true identity and that of his well-known mistress.

The latest twist in the ongoing privacy debate follows the recent decision by the Sunday Herald in Scotland to name the Manchester United footballer Ryan Giggs in connection with his alleged affair with the glamour model Imogen Thomas.

The newspaper argued that it was not bound by an English court as it is only published in Scotland. But its report helped to uncover the court order.

John Hemming, the Liberal Democrat MP, then utilised parliamentary privilege to unmask the 37-year-old as the married footballer at the centre of the privacy case.

Hemming also revealed that ex-Royal Bank of Scotland boss Sir Fred Goodwin had taken out a gagging order.