Hello apologises to George Clooney over ‘fabricated’ interview

Hello! magazine has been forced to apologise to actor George Clooney over a “completely fabricated” interview that was sold as ‘exclusive’.

The 54-year-old Hollywood star said the article, containing quotes from him about his human rights lawyer wife Amal Clooney, is not accurate — because he never gave the interview.

In a statement released to Entertainment Tonight, the Hail, Caesar! actor said: “Hello! magazine has printed an ‘exclusive interview’ with me that has been widely picked up and reprinted.

“The problem is that I have not given an interview to Hello! magazine and the quotes attributed to me are not accurate.”

He continued: “In my experience, being misquoted is not unusual, but to have an ‘exclusive interview’ completely fabricated is something new, and a very disturbing trend.”

In the article, Clooney is quoted as saying he and his wife make sure they are never apart for more than a week and “stay in touch via social media”.

Editors at Hello! have said they were “very dismayed” to learn that the interview they purchased from an agency is fabricated.

In a statement, they said: “The Hello! Group bought the interview in good faith from a respectable independent agent, Famous, with whom it has dealt for many years and the agency and its writer. Purchase was on the unquestionable understanding that the interview and material were correct and accurate in all respects.”