Julian's double life

Wife, daughter, girlfriend - Aussie star Julian McMahon is a family man one minute, a Romeo the next.
Julian's clearly Charmed by screen sorceress Shannen Doherty, but tiny ties bind him to his ex-wife, Brooke Burns.
Sunday is supposed to be a day of rest. But for Julian McMahon, a recent Sunday became a busy city-crossing caper that saw him magically transformed into two different people. In the morning, the Australian star of TV hit Charmed met with his estranged wife, Baywatch beauty Brooke Burns, to celebrate her 24th birthday. This was Julian, family man - his 16-month-old daughter Madison hoisted high and proud as he strolled arm-in-arm with a beaming Brooke along downtown Ventura Boulevard.
But within hours, a different man was pounding the pavement. A quick trip home, a change into baggy camouflage trousers and there emerged Julian, Hollywood Romeo. His companion for the afternoon, lover Shannen Doherty, slipped comfortably into the role of surrogate mum to baby Madison.
Like his twin Charmed characters, good-guy lawman Cole and wicked warlock Belthazor, Julian's becoming accustomed to a dual life since his brief marriage to Brooke hit difficulties in February. Sources report the couple plan an amicable divorce soon, and intend to share custody of their daughter. Meanwhile, Julian spends most of his free time with Madison at his Hollywood Hills mansion, where Shannen is a regular guest. Brooke lives just 15 minutes away.
"Sunday was sure a busy day for Julian," says a star-spotting source. "He ducked out of his home early to buy Brooke a birthday present, and she left her place early, too. She had to go to a car yard to have the tyres on her four-wheel drive rotated.
"At about 11, Brooke picked up Julian with Madison for brunch at a local café on Ventura. He dropped Brooke off and headed back home to Shannen.
"For a romance that's the talk of Hollywood, Julian and Shannen spent a surprisingly domesticated afternoon out with Madison. They went to a car wash! Shannen seemed really at ease with the toddler while Daddy tended to the car. This was clearly not the first time Julian's daughter and girlfriend have spent an afternoon together."
For months, Shannen, 30, and Julian, 33, have stuck to a standard "just good friends" line when asked about their relationship, but now it seems they're ready to go public with their relationship. Magic between them sparked some time after Julian joined the Charmed set in August las year - eight months into his marriage to Brooke - and intensified when they made the telemovie Another Day together, playing on-screen lovers. Rumours of a romance were denied by Julian, even when he and Shannen were caught in passionate clinches on a Caribbean beach in July, while on a trip to promote the film.
So far, Julian has only commented on Shannen in professional terms, saying "She's a real sweetheart, a pleasure to work with." But Shannen has been more forthcoming. "He's unbelievably kind-hearted and I feel blessed he came into my life," Shannen says happily of Julian, "I couldn't adore him more."
Insiders believe the romance is definitely serious, and single out one clear indicator: Julian's mum, Lady McMahon, visited him in September and made a point of getting to know Shannen. In fact, they spent more time together than was originally planned, because Sonia's stay was unexpectedly extended as a result of the September 11 US terrorist attacks. But it's not known whether Lady McMahon approved of wild woman and former TV witch Shannen, who's currently serving three years' probation on a drink driving charge.