Jodie Comer's rumoured new boyfriend has been identified as American lacrosse player James Burke

It's been claimed that the images of Jodie and James are from a private Instagram account that "a fan gained access to" after Jodie accepted their request.

Jodie - who split from her previous long-term boyfriend in March 2019 - is believed to have met James in Boston and she appears alongside him in a series of photos taken in her home city of Liverpool.

The duo have been spotted together a number of times in recent months, but the new images strengthen suggestions they are in a relationship.

James, 26, quickly deleted his social media profiles when his name became public, while mentions of him have also disappeared from Jodie's account.

The actress recently revealed she previously decided to quit social media because she's guilty of "seeking out negative comments" about herself.

Jodie - who deactivated her Twitter account earlier this year - explained: "Until I get some self-control and manage not to go and seek out negative things on social media, I think it's best for me to take a little step back.

"Also now, in this time, I am trying to be a little bit conscious of what I use it for.

"It feels a bit wrong to me to be doing any sort of self-promotion at the moment, so I'm trying to be a little bit wary of that, while also being communicative and speaking to people."