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Emma Watson's links to an offshore company has been revealed in a huge leak of secret documents.

The Harry Potter star turned political activist is named in the Panama Papers, revealing she has interests in a firm based in the British Virgin Islands.

But a spokesperson for Ms Watson says she does not use the firm to avoid tax, only for privacy.

The database, released online yesterday, reveals Emma Charlotte Duerre Watson is a shareholder of a company based in the British overseas territory.

(Image: Rex)

Her representatives told the Spectator: "Emma (like many high profile individuals) set up an offshore company for the sole purpose of protecting her anonymity and safety.

"UK companies are required to publicly publish details of their shareholders and therefore do not give her the necessary anonymity required to protect her personal safety, which has been jeopardised in the past owing to such information being publicly available.

"Offshore companies do not publish these shareholder details. Emma receives absolutely no tax or monetary advantages from this offshore company whatsoever – only privacy."

The website hosting the documents went into meltdown last night, as thousands of people logged on to get a glimpse of how the wealthy hide their money.

It lists some 200,000 shell companies and trusts held in more than 20 tax havens around the world.

(Image: REX)

Much of the data comes from Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca , who set up many of the companies.

Millions of documents held by the company were leaked to the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, who have made the database public, despite threats of legal action from the firm.

Read more:Panama Papers uploaded to the internet as a massive searchable online database

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When the leak first came to light, it shone a spotlight on dozens of politicians, celebrities and sports stars, who use the secretive firms to avoid tax.

David Cameron and Vladimir Putin have both come under scrutiny for their links to offshore accounts.

And Iceland's Prime Minister Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson resigned after it was alleged he'd used an offshore firm to hide investments worth millions of pounds.