They are sex symbols idolised by millions but Beyonce, Rihanna and Kim Kardashian have fallen foul of famously catty actor Rupert Everett - who says they have fat legs.

The stage and screen star, 54, singled out the women as representative of a fashion for women to have "huge great legs with massive thighs".

In an interview with the Mail on Sunday (MoS) he also called Lady Gaga "terribly conventional" and claimed the "camp" Simon Cowell is "completely devastating" the British music scene.

But it was the female entertainers who drew his sharpest ire. He told the MoS: "I grew up with the ideal of female beauty being delicate with long, slim legs.

"Now it's terribly 'in' for women to have these huge great legs with massive thighs.

"Rihanna has them, Kim Kardashian has them, Beyonce has them, with her elephant ankles and gigantic a***.

"I think it's the reason these great big clumpy shoes are fashionable - to support these huge legs they all have."

Everett, known for playing Oscar Wilde and for working with Madonna, also joked that Beyonce could not have given birth to daughter Blue Ivy Carter in 2012 because she did not have much of a bump.

But the gay actor did have some kind words to say about One Direction - and Harry Styles in particular.

He told the MoS: "I do like One Direction, though. Particularly Harry Styles. I was in ITV Towers the other day and they were all coming out of the lift in front of me.

"Harry Styles actually stopped to open the door for me. That's manners. Good manners. If there's one thing I admire it's good manners."