Eva Longoria ParkerEva Longoria Parker has said her new slightly heavy figure and short bobbed haircut are just for Desperate Housewives and not a general new look for her.

Earlier in the month, Eva displayed a curver figure than normal while wearing a bikini on holiday in Italy with husband Tony Parker - provoking pregnancy rumours - and this week she unveiled her new bob, suggesting she was the next celebrity following the trend set by friends Victoria Beckham and Katie Holmes.

But now her spokesperson has said Eva is just getting into shape for the next season of the show, where her character Gabrielle shifts from being a glamour puss to being an over-worked mum: “She’s a worn out mother with two kids. She’s making herself look like that as her character has let herself go. Gabrielle has gained weight and cut her hair.”

Her spokesperson explained that Eva has been method-eating to gain weight for the series: “But even that was not enough. She’s also wearing butt pads and a stomach pad to play the part.”