Cleese Finds Love After Marriage Split

LATEST: MONTY PYTHON star JOHN CLEESE is dating a woman half his age following his split from his third wife.

The British actor is currently embroiled in divorce proceedings with his estranged spouse Alyce Faye Eichelberger Cleese. The couple separated in January (08) after 19 years of marriage.

And now Cleese, 68, is reportedly romancing 34-year-old magazine marketing executive Veronica Smiley.

The pair was recently photographed enjoying a romantic break in Italy.

And Cleese admits that he is delighted to have found love again.

He says, "She is certainly a new friend who is definitely a girl. More than that I don't want to disclose because the relationship is in its early stages and we do not know how it will develop. She's incredibly bright. I never thought I would be interested in somebody in marketing but she is so acute."

But the star fears their relationship may suffer because they are based in different cities.

He adds, "The problem is she works in Chicago for a magazine and I'm in California and London. Unfortunately we are living very far apart citywise."

Cleese's first wife was actress Connie Booth. He married TV director Barbara Trentham in 1981, before divorcing in 1990. Eichelberger and Cleese were wed in 1992.