LONDON: Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler love reading tabloid speculation about their relationship - because the reports couldn't be further from the truth.

Speculation that The Bounty co-stars were a real-life item reached fever pitch after they were spotted arm-in-arm on a romantic stroll on a Los Angeles beach earlier this summer.

Both stars denied they were dating, although the Scottish hunk insists he's flattered the press has romantically linked him to Aniston.

He jokes, "Everyone in Hollywood fancies me because I'm a manly man. Jen, Cameron Diaz, they all do... they love me. I mean, there aren't many real men in Hollywood, let's face it. No, I'm only joking, but it's so flattering that people could think that any of those girls would be interested in me."

But Butler admits he and the Aniston find the media reports about their relationship rather humorous.

He adds, "Jen and I love it when there's three rumours in a day. One day we were dating, we had split up and she was pregnant with John Mayer's baby!"