Clooney jets in for London premiere

Updated 12.46 Tue Apr 08 2008

Keywords: Leatherheads, Renee Zellweger, George Clooney

Hollywood heart-throb George Clooney is jetting into London for the premiere of his new venture, Leatherheads.

Fans are already camping out in the cold eagerly awaiting his arrival on the red carpet in the capital's Leicester Square, where he will be joined by his co-star Renee Zellweger.

Clooney takes up the lead role and directing duties in the romantic comedy, set in the world of 1920s American football

Clooney, 46, takes up the lead role and directing duties in the romantic comedy, set in the world of 1920s American football.

Zellweger, 38, plays a news reporter who is caught in a love triangle with Clooney's football hero character.

The movie is the third directorial outing for the star but is his first film to be made by his own production company, Smoke House.

Clooney made his debut behind the camera with Confessions of a Dangerous Mind in 2002, followed by Good Night, and Good Luck, three years later.

He has said of playing an American footballer: "I was getting smacked around the football field by a bunch of guys much younger than me. I lost a lot of weight and all the tabloids were like, 'cancer scare!'?"

Gossip columns have been filled with rumours that the actor-director, one of the world's most eligible bachelors, is finally getting married.

Clooney, who has previously been linked to Zellweger, is rumoured to be tying the knot with his girlfriend, ex-cocktail waitress Sarah Larson, 29.

The former ER star swore to never wed again after his marriage to actress Talia Balsam failed after four years.