No-one is supposed to know, not even in Ballydung, but for the last six months popular British funnyman Johnny Vegas has been dating Podge and Rodge's right hand woman.

The lady in question is beautiful Maia Dunphy (32) from Dalkey, a script associate who works for Podge and Rodge's Double Z Company.

"Maia and Johhny first met up two years ago when Johnny came over to do Podge and Rodge," a source told me.

However, nothing happened until about three months later when Maia split with her long-term boyfriend. Vegas had already split from his wife Kitty, whom he divorced in March of this year. The couple were reported to have had an amicable parting for the sake of their son Michael (4).

Since then Vegas has been jetting back and forth to see Maia in Dublin. Incredibly, apart from this snap of them out walking near Dublin's International Bar, they've managed to stay out of the papers on either side of the Irish sea.

The reasons for this are said to be two-fold. "Johnny and Maia's relationship is really low key," my mole revealed.

"This proves that it's pretty easy to stay out of the papers just as long as you avoid all the predictable bars and nightclubs. The two of them just hang out in restaurants near where Maia lives." Another reason for their anonymity is the staggering five stone which Vegas (37) has lost in the last year. "Because he's not so big, people just don't recognise Johnny in Dublin," the source said. "They just take him for a good-natured northerner over for the weekend to see his girlfriend. Johnny doesn't do the whole 'I'm a star' thing and is very down-to-earth. He's been around Dublin for months on end and getting away with it."

Vegas could end up writing with Maia as he has already spoken of plans to collaborate in a TV project with Podge and Rodge.

"It will be about me living with a whole gang of puppets. Kind of like that '80s TV show Fraggle Rock except with alcohol."

The last time Vegas teamed up with Podge and Rodge for their RTÉ show, ratings went through the roof. Introduced as Ireland's answer to Brendan Grace, Vegas was soon out of control going off on tangents for his inquisitors.

"They could have had Dana but they chose me," Vegas said afterwards.