Tom's cruising with a new girl

Then, lo and behold, he acquired - purely by coincidence, of course - a beautiful new celebrity girlfriend. And soon, he was enjoying a feast of free publicity.

The 42-year- old star was pictured out on the town in Rome with Katie Holmes, 16 years his junior and one of American television's most recognisable actresses.

Cruise, who is in the Italian capital to receive an award, is staying with Miss Holmes in the £2,000-a-night presidential suite at the Hassler Hotel at the top of the Spanish Steps.

His liaison with the actress was officially confirmed by his publicist and sister Lee Anne DeVette, who said: 'They have been dating for a few weeks.'

Those of a romantic nature will wish the happy couple well. But cynics will point out that the star has timed things to perfection for raising his profile - he is starring in Steven Spielberg's upcoming £120million remake of The War of the Worlds.

There has been no comment from Miss Holmes, who found fame in the teenage television show Dawson's Creek. But she may have an agenda of her own.

Her next film, the comic book adventure Batman Begins, will not be adversely affected at the box office with the added attraction of her being Cruise's girlfriend.

Cruise, who has failed marriages

to Mimi Rogers and Nicole Kidman behind him, has learned to use much-varied speculation about his personal life to his advantage since he first shot to fame in the 1983 movie Risky Business.

After his marriage to Miss Kidman - which saw both benefit from being one of Hollywood's 'golden couples' - ended in 2001, he wasted little time in unveiling Spanish beauty Penelope Cruz as the new woman in his life.

Again the announcement was perfectly timed, coinciding with the release of Vanilla Sky, in which they were co- stars. More recently, he was pictured enjoying a late-night dinner in Los Angeles with Colombian model Sophia Vergara - who has been dubbed ' Viagra' because of her stunning looks.

By contrast Miss Holmes, who played 'downy innocent' Hannah Green opposite Michael Douglas in the film Wonderboys after finding fame in Dawson's Creek, has had a far less complicated love life.

After briefly going out with Dawson's Creek co- star Joshua Jackson - who is currently appearing in the West End - she began dating fellow actor Chris Klein in 2000.

They became engaged three years later after he proposed with a £250,000 wedding ring, but separated last month.