There have been growing rumours of a romance between Gerard Butler and Jennifer Aniston - and a raunchy photoshoot involving the Bounty Hunter stars will do little to quell those whispers.

Some of the pictures, for US magazine W, were even considered too steamy to be published by editors.

As the former Friends favourite touched down at Heathrow last night for the movie’s UK premiere, a source said: “Jen and Gerard really enjoyed the shoot. They got very stuck in, and were keen to experiment with a variety of different poses and props.

“In fact, a few of the scenes and outfits were so daring, they decided they were too explicit for a family magazine and cut from the final edition.” Other pictures show the pair cuddling up and pouting for the cameras in the desert.The source added: “Jennifer and Gerard clearly have a very special relationship, and get on ­fantastically well. “This shoot won’t do much to quell rumours of a romance.”You can say that again. The snaps will send tongues – already wagging wildly about the pair – into a frenzy.

Gerard, 40, will join Jennifer at tonight’s movie premiere.

They are both fiercely private about their romantic lives and have always insisted they are just good friends.

But last month the two of them went on holiday to Mexico along with close friends Courteney Cox and Sheryl Crow.

And at the Golden Globes in January, Gerard was reportedly seen whispering sweet nothings in Jennifer’s ear.

The pair were first linked last year on the Bounty Hunter set. And if these pics are anything to go by, Jen has clearly got her hands on her new man-acle…