Dame Diana was in court to hear the settlement

Avengers star Dame Diana, 65, took action after articles appeared in the Daily Mail and Evening Standard.

She said the untrue claim that she had announced her retirement would harm her chances of working in the future.

And the report that she was bitter and "held British men in low regard" was also false, she said.

Dame Diana was upset at the portrayal of her which quite wrongly suggested that she is an embittered woman Tom Amlot Lawyer

The Evening Standard and Daily Mail, both owned by Associated Newspapers, must also pay costs and will make a charity donation.

The contentious articles were published after Dame Diana gave an interview to promote the Children With Aids charity.

The Daily Mail article, published in September 2002, was headlined: "Diana Rigg attacks British men and announces her retirement."

It implied that the whole interview was about her private life, which was not the case, and that she had talked about her first marriage and the break-up of her second marriage.

Professional reputation

Her lawyer Tom Amlot told the High Court in London: "Dame Diana was upset at the portrayal of her which quite wrongly suggested that she is an embittered woman and holds British men in low regard.

"She was also concerned that her professional reputation and ability to secure work would be damaged by the statement that she was retiring when she is not."

She is due to start rehearsals for the Tennessee Williams play Suddenly Last Summer in January.