Julian wants Brooke to come home
by Patrice Fidgeon

Aussie star Julian McMahon is wooing his wife as he tries to rebuild his family.

Charmed actor Julian McMahon has ended his affair with former co-star Shannen Dougherty. He’s working at reminding his wife former Baywatch babe Brooke Burns, of the charms that inspired her to fall for the son of former Australian prime minister the late Sir William McMahon.

As our exclusive pictures show, Julian’s been cosying up to the mother of his baby daughter Madison. They’re not quite playing happy families again. Nor are they living together in their former marital home, where Julian’s remained since Brooke moved out with Madison and into an apartment about 15 minutes away. But they’re sharing romantic outings.

Julian 33 and Brooke, 23 seemed happy after secretly marrying in Sydney, two years ago, then revelled in Madison’s arrival- Julian dotes on her.

But friends say he was under pressure with his ongoing Profiler series, movie work, and a regular role in Charmed seen here on Network Ten.

Soon after he started work on Charmed there were rumours that he was smitten with co-star Alyssa Milano. Then stories emerged of tension between Alyssa and another Charmed co-star , 30 year old Shannen, that got so intense the two were said to be refusing to speak when not on camera.

Sources on the set say the tension grew into serious fighting which was casuing pressure on cast and crew.

After Shannen was charged with drink-driving and the catfights with Alyssa reached crisis point, our sources on Charmed say an ultimatum was issued and Shannen found herself off the show.

Julian and Shannen went on to make a TV movie together, Another Day co-produced by Oscar winning Francis Ford Coppola. When the movie was released, Women’s Day exclusively revealed what was going on between the pair.

At a Caribbean resort, Shannen was photographed lying atop Julian and cuddling the handsome actor on a sun lounge. The romantic couple were pictured splashing in the surf, holding hands and kissing-pictures which would have broken his wife’s heart.

But Julian has continued to visit Brooke regularly and often taken Madison to spend weekends and nights with him at the Hollywood Hills home.

Now Brooke’s had time to deal with her issues and Julian’s had the space to sort out his life, it is clear he wants them to be a family again. While Brooke appears to be in no hurry, friends say the couple are seriously dating.

“They’re happy in each other’s company and appear very loving. Julian’s doing all he can to convince Brooke.

“But she’s been hurt and wants to be sure before she commits. His first marriage to Danni Minogue, lasted only 18 months and she knows Julian broke Dannii’s heart. She’s wary of his ability to commit.”

"They're dating, and I think he's stayed at her place overnight, but Brooke hasn't given any indication she's prepared to completely forgive and move home. She wants to be convinced he's changed," one of her friends confides.

“Brooke still cares so much for Julian and knows he wants to be with her, but she’s not prepared to be hurt again”