Joey was there for me... but now we're not even Friends: How Matt LeBlanc seduced (and then dumped) blonde extra

By Jo Macfarlane

Rejected: Friends star Matt LeBlanc had a passionate fling with actress and model Holly Magrath, who he met on the set of his new show, before dumping her


As the hapless Joey Tribbiani in US sitcom Friends, his legendary chat-up line 'How you doin'?' came with a trademark lopsided smile but met with little success.

In real life, however, it appears that actor Matt LeBlanc does not have a problem attracting women.

Actress and model Holly Magrath told last night how she was seduced by LeBlanc after she appeared as an extra in the new BBC2 comedy Episodes, which he is filming in London.

Their tryst lasted three weeks despite reports that the 42-year-old actor is in a relationship with US actress Andrea Anders, 35, his former co-star in the sitcom Joey.

Blonde Holly, 30, who has appeared in EastEnders and Holby City, says LeBlanc plied her with champagne, confessed he had a girlfriend but told her it was 'on-off', and claimed Holly was his perfect woman.

The pair spent two nights together in his hotel suite and exchanged dozens of text messages over a week before meeting again for a third night. LeBlanc finally called off their relationship last week in a text message which read: 'I can't see you any more. Too much drama for me.'

Holly, from Tunbridge Wells, Kent, said: 'Matt is an incredible guy. He was lovely, very grounded and very normal. There's a sincerity and warmth to him and he would stare into my eyes for hours.

'But after flattering me constantly, he stopped answering my texts and didn't keep arrangements to meet. I was annoyed when he called things off but not heartbroken. I knew he was only in London for a short time.'


Worse for wear: Matt, seen this week leaving Mahiki nightclub in London, is currently in the capital filming his new BBC comedy Episodes, where he met Holly


Holly met LeBlanc on May 25 on the set of Episodes, a comedy in which he plays himself.

Having recently ended a four-year relationship, Holly gave him her number and the following day he called her, leaving a message.

She said: 'The message was, "Hey Holly, it's Matt. I thought I'd shoot you a call. I'm just listening to James Taylor, looking out the window and thought I'd give you a call. Give us a call back." He had this really cool, slow, sexy voice. I thought he sounded gorgeous.'

She rang him back and they arranged to meet at his hotel. Holly went to his room and he ordered champagne.

'I asked him what we were celebrating. He said, "New friends."


Ladies' man: Matt pictured, left, with his now ex wife Melissa McKnight in 2004 and, right, with Andrea Anders, his former co-star in the sitcom Joey and who he is reportedly in a relationship with


'We talked until 1am. He wanted to know everything about me - my childhood, what my dreams were.'

Curious, Holly asked him if he had a girlfriend.'He kind of shrugged and said, "On and off." '

LeBlanc then showed Holly photographs of his ranch. They included pictures of the actor riding his horses and wearing a lumberjack shirt, and shots of his daughter Marina Pearl from his marriage to Melissa McKnight. The couple divorced in 2006.

'Lots of the pictures were of him looking a lot bigger,' she said, 'and I nearly didn't recognise him. He said that had been a difficult time for him. I'm guessing it was after the divorce. It was so sweet and really drew me in. I fell in love with the man on the horse, not the star.'

She says LeBlanc then confessed he'd been spying on her from his trailer during filming. 'He told me I'd taken his breath away.' Holly refused to sleep with him but says LeBlanc persuaded her to stay.

'He said, "I'm a really heavy sleeper and the hotel might catch fire and no one will wake me up." I thought, God, you're good.'

He offered Holly his T-shirt and boxer shorts and let her use his electric toothbrush. 'I snuggled up to him and he said I was a great cuddler. He stroked my face all night. I thought, this guy's too good to be true. It was like a fairytale.

'We were holding each other's hands. We barely slept because we were so conscious of each other.'

The next morning Holly left but kept in text contact all day. 'In one I said, "I'm missing you a teeny tiny bit." He replied, "I'm missing you - a teeny tiny bit more maybe x." We arranged to meet the next night.'

The couple ordered pina colada and champagne at the bar and LeBlanc continued to flatter Holly. 'He said, "If I close my eyes and think of the perfect girl, it's you. The eyes, the eyebrows, the lips, the nose." '


I'll be there for you: Matt as Joey Tribbiani with the cast of Friends


Holly again spent the night in his hotel room but they did not sleep together. Holly told him she felt she didn't know him well enough yet.

Despite a flurry of texts in the week that followed, LeBlanc made excuses for not being able to meet, which left Holly confused.

Eventually, they met the following Sunday, again at his hotel. It was 1.30am and LeBlanc had just returned from a cast party. 'When I walked in we started kissing,' she said.

'He'd made a huge seduction effort. He'd lit candles everywhere. It was lovely.'

This time, they did sleep together and the next morning Holly left to visit her mother.

Holly sent text messages during the week but he failed to reply. On June 12, he wrote: 'I can't see you any more, too much drama for me.' She admitted: 'I'm disappointed and I could have really fallen for him. But I didn't get in too deep.'

A spokesman for Mr LeBlanc did not return calls.


source: dailymail