Cricket legend Imran Khan has been married for scarcely eight months, but the family of his wife Reham, a former BBC presenter, are already at war with his ex, Jemima Goldsmith.

One of Reham's cousins has taken the extraordinary step of contacting me to make a string of allegations about heiress Jemima, who has two sons with Imran.

The cousin, who does not want to be named publicly, claims Jemima is behind the negative stories that have appeared about Reham, 42, since I revealed in January that she had secretly tied the knot with Imran.

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Jealousy? Imran and Reham Khan, left, and the cricket legend's ex-wife, Jemima Goldsmith, right

'We know what Jemima is doing,' claims the cousin. 'We know that she is behind this smear campaign. She doesn't want Imran's marriage to succeed because she is jealous.'

Imran and billionaire Sir James Goldsmith's 41-year-old daughter divorced in 2004 after nine years of marriage, but they have remained on friendly terms.

Jemima went on to have long but ill-fated relationships with foppish actor Hugh Grant and tiresome comedian Russell Brand.

'Jemima can't get her own man, that's why she doesn't want Imran's marriage to succeed,' claims the cousin, unkindly.

'Reham and Imran are in love and very happy together. Reham is going to give an interview, in her own time, in which she will rebutt all the baseless smears against her.'

Soon after the couple married in Pakistan, where Imran is now a politician, Reham's ex-husband, NHS psychiatrist Dr Ijaz Rehman, 54, spoke out to deny her claims that he had mistreated her during their marriage.

Claims: One of Reham's cousins has taken the extraordinary step of making a string of allegations about heiress Jemima, who has two sons with Imran. Pictured, former BBC presenter Reham

'I have never been involved in any kind of domestic violence in any shape or form,' said Dr Reham, with whom she has three children. 'I always looked after my children and wife very well.'

Later, it was disclosed that Reham had not attended the Lincolnshire college she had claimed on her personal website. She said she studied journalism at 'North Lindsay College' in Scunthorpe.

However, the college confirmed that it had never taught journalism and had no record of her being a student.

Ill-fated relationships: Jemima dated foppish actor Hugh Grant (right) and tiresome comedian Russell Brand

She subsequently changed her website to state that she went to the Grimsby Institute, some 30 miles away.

Jemima strenuously denies being involved in any 'smear campaign', with her spokesman telling me: 'Jemima is fully supportive of her ex-husband.