Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel have lodged defamation proceedings in the High Court in Dublin.

The couple have claimed they were defamed in the European edition of the magazine, Heat and have chosen to take their case through the Irish High Court.

The magazine carried an article and photographs about the couple in September and claimed to quote Biel in the article.

Separate defamation proceedings were lodged by the couple against Bauer Consumer Media, which owns Heat magazine.

Their solicitor in Europe, Paul Tweed, confirmed he has lodged defamation proceedings on behalf of the couple earlier this week.