Elizabeth Hurley lost her role in the third 'Austin Powers' film because she was pregnant.

The 58-year-old model/actress appeared in the first two movies - 'Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery' and 'Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me' - as Vanessa Kensington, but she was absent from the cast for the 2002 follow-up 'Austin Powers in Goldmember' - and she's now revealed the shoot's timing just didn't work for her because she was expecting her son Damian and her baby bump would have been too difficult to hide.

During an appearance on 'Watch What Happens Live', she explained: "You know what, I was offered the third 'Austin Powers' [film], and I actually did shoot my bit, but when I was offered it, I said to them - and they were the first people who had knew, apart from my immediate family, I said: 'Guys, I'm pregnant'.

"I was pregnant with my son and I said: 'So, unless you shoot it literally next week, I don't think I can shoot it'.

"They were like: 'Oh you'll be fine, you're so skinny' ... I put on 63 pounds when I was pregnant, OK?

"I went: 'No no, you don't understand, you really have to shoot, really soon', and by the time they were ready to shoot, I was literally [very] pregnant."

Losing out on the role meant Elizabeth missed out on the chance to act opposite Beyonce, who joined the cast as Foxxy Cleopatra, and she added: "It wasn't my fault, OK? Because I love Beyonce, I love 'Austin Powers', it just wasn't my fault."

When asked whether she would consider returning for another 'Austin Powers' movie, Elizabeth insisted she would love to work with the film's star Mike Myers again.

She said: "[Mike] goes down as one of my very favourite co-stars ... [he is a] brilliant man, fabulously kind and gentle and of course one of the best comedians on Earth."

But Elizabeth then joked: "I'm not sure I'd fit in my costumes again ... [I'd have to come back] in slightly different costumes."