Dame Edna Everage's alter ego Barry Humphries has punched a photographer in the face for pursuing him.

The 72-year-old actor was apparently pursued outside of a restaurant by paparazzo Malcom Ladd so aggressively that he punched him in the face, according to his publicist Suzie Howie.

Howie said: "I can confirm to you that Barry did hit him. He was obviously very upset."

"But at least he didn't throw a phone," she added, making a reference to fellow Australian Russell Crowe's brush with the law where he threw a phone at a hotel receptionist.