KEVIN COSTNER - COSTNER HITS BACK AT SPLIT REPORTS

KEVIN COSTNER has fired back at Hollywood gossip suggesting he and his new wife CHRISTINE BAUMGARTNER are on the verge of splitting up. The movie star's publicist, PAUL BLOCH, has issued a statement on behalf of his client in a bid to end fresh US tabloid speculation about the state of his marriage. He states, "The story is false. They sold their house in Hollywood and they are moving to Santa Barbara. Kevin is on location and Christine is getting the house ready. "Christine Costner is on her way to Shreveport, where Kevin Costner is shooting MR BROOKS. They'll both then go to Providence, Rhode Island for daughter ANNIE's graduation from Brown University. "The Costners will then head back to Los Angeles where Kevin will continue to help Christine with the move. After that, Kevin will go back and finish shooting the remaining several weeks of Mr Brooks." The split rumours come just a month after allegations from a masseuse that Costner performed a lewd act in front of her while he was honeymooning with Baumgartner in Scotland in 2004. The unnamed 34-year-old claims Costner grabbed her while she was massaging him, before dropping his towel and exposing himself. Bloch has already rubbished the allegations, stating, "We find it unfortunate that Mr Costner's name has been brought into what is essentially a dispute between a company owned by a good friend of his and a former employee."