Sheen, Northam clashed over Beckinsale

Kate Beckinsale has revealed that her former boyfriend Michael Sheen hit actor Jeremy Northam on the set of period drama The Golden Bowl.

Beckinsale had just given birth to Sheen's daughter Lily, and the actor, who was visiting the set, was unhappy when Northam started to yell at his then girlfriend.

Sheen then thumped Northam, leaving Beckinsale shocked.

"I was so mortified. I thought, 'Now Michael's going to jail, and I'm going to have to bake that cake and put the file in it,'" Beckinsale recalled.

However, the actress admitted that the dispute was soon resolved. "It all became very sort of British and gentlemanly between those two, with handshaking all round."