Kate Beckinsale would get a penis tattooed on her face if she ever saw David Walliams naked.

Kate Beckinsale and David Walliams

Kate Beckinsale and David Walliams

The 42-year-old actress recently sparked speculation she is dating the 44-year-old funnyman after they were spotted having dinner in London restaurant Scott's, but she insists they have simply been friends for years and she doesn't want to get intimate with him.

In a witty putdown using the aubergine emoji, which is often used as a cheeky reference to a penis, Kate shared a photo of them having dinner and wrote: "This is my dear friend, @davidwalliams. If I ever see him naked I will immediately tattoo a [purple aubergine emoji] on my face for clarity.

"Until that appears, everyone can relax and know we are friends, as we have been for the last 2000 years.

"Ps The size of the tattoo is unlikely to be actual size. As far as I know. (sic)"

David also retweeted Kate's post but didn't add a comment.

Meanwhile, Kate - who separated from her husband Len Wiseman last year - revealed recently that she sends naked pictures of her ex Michael Sheen to their daughter.

The Hollywood beauty, who dated Michael for eight years until 2003, admitted that she and her 17-year-old daughter Lily make each other laugh by googling naked pictures of the 'Frost/Nixon' actor.

She said: "My daughter and I are both from the school where we think a naked man is very funny in the right circumstances, not as a subtle surprise jumping out at you in a dark alley, but it's a funny thing.

"And sometimes in a low moment she'll text me that picture or I'll text it to her ... If I sense that she's feeling low, I think, 'You know what, she could use Mike in the bath.' It works very well most times."

Despite their split, Kate and her ex-boyfriend have remained close and the actress has even become good friends with his current partner Sarah Silverman.

Michael recently said: "They get on so well. They are also both people who have a very particular sense of humour. Kate is very funny and very sharp. So, obviously, is Sarah. They really bonded with that."