Shearer shock at Liam's Spinal Tap gaff

Spinal Tap star Harry Shearer has admitted his shock at Noel Gallagher's confession younger brother Liam thought the 1980s spoof rockers were a real band.

Oasis guitarist Noel revealed in an interview last week that Liam stormed out of a performance by the stars of Spinal Tap after discovering they were a fake group.

Noel said: "He thought they were real people. We went to see them in Carnegie Hall. He'd seen the film and loved it and thought they were a real band."

Shearer, who played dopey bassist Derek Smalls in the cult classic and also provides the voice of Mr Burns in The Simpsons, laughed: "I can't believe that. I've met musicians who say they can't watch the film because it's too close to the real thing, but no one actually thought they were real."