Richard Gere has a new Pretty Woman, according to reports - Top Chef host Padma Lakshmi.

According to New York Post's Page Six, the actor, who has separated from wife Carey Lowell, and Padma have been keeping things quiet.

A source said: "They have been quietly spending some time together. It is all very new and recent, and happened while he has been filming in New York."

Richard, 64, who was previously married to Cindy Crawford, and actress Carey, 52, were reported last year to be splitting after 11 years of marriage.

Former model Padma was married to author Salman Rushdie for three years until they divorced in 2007 and dated billionaire Teddy Forstmann until he died of brain cancer in 2011.

She has a three-year-old daughter, Krishna Thea Lakshmi-Dell, with venture capitalist Adam Dell.