Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas are more concerned with their image than their privacy, the high court in London was told yesterday.

James Price QC, for Hello! magazine, said the Hollywood actors were using their privacy case as an excuse to control their public image and to protect their £1m deal for wedding pictures with OK! magazine. The couple claimed that covert pictures published in Hello! were offensive because they showed Zeta-Jones in an unflattering light - but Mr Price said the approved pictures had appeared in an equally unflattering manner.

He submitted a copy of Danish magazine Se Og Hor which used a picture of the couple - syndicated by OK! -on its cover alongside an image of a bare-breasted woman. Mr Price said Northern & Shell, publisher of OK!, had a track record in smut, describing its business, "to put it bluntly", as pornography.

Michael Tugendhat QC, representing the Douglases and Northern & Shell - owned by Richard Desmond - said Mr Price's allegation was "obviously a smear".

"Yes, but it is true," Mr Price retorted.

The Douglases are suing Hello! for £500,000 for breach of confidence and invasion of privacy. OK! is claiming £1.75m. The case continues.