Liz Taylor in new wedding rumour

Screen legend Elizabeth Taylor is set to tie the knot for the ninth time with a man 17 years her junior, according to media reports.

The 74-year-old reportedly told her actress friend Debbie Reynolds she was thinking about marriage again after falling for portrait artist Firooz Zahedi.

He has recently helped her through a string of health problems including congestive heart failure and crippling arthritis.

A pal told British newspaper The Sunday Express: "She has known some terribly dark days over the last few years. But it's amazing how she's bounced back.

"She has rebounded straight into the arms of a man - and it's wonderful to see them together. Liz lives to be loved. For some stars, it's work, family, even shopping. But for Liz, romance has always been the driving force."

Taylor's spokesman in Los Angeles confirms her friendship with Zahedi, but said: "I couldn't possibly comment on personal relationships."

The actress' previous husbands include Richard Burton and truck driver Larry Fortensky.