Minnie Driver has always been incredibly secretive about the identity of her son’s father, but now she has come forward to reveal that three-year-old Henry’s dad was a writer on her former television show The Riches.

Minnie Driver, 42, said the reason she had decided to disclose the man’s identity was because she doesn’t “need to protect him any more”.

The actress added to The Observer magazine: “He can fend for himself. He’s a grown-up.

“We weren’t together and he wasn’t directly in the business so I chose to protect him and not have a rain of publicity.

“He’s not famous. There’s no big story.”

Earlier reports claimed that the father was a TV writer, who ended his relationship with Minnie Driver when she found out she was pregnant.

However, Minnie Driver admitted that the man, who she still refused to name outright, has now increased his involvement in their son’s life.

Minnie Driver revealed that three-year-old Henry's dad was a writer on her former television show The Riches

The actress said: “Is he a good dad? Sort of. He’s figuring it out… I mean, he hasn’t been that involved, his choice. But he is now.”

The Conviction star had previously admitted she would like to have more children, but doesn’t think she could cope raising two kids on her own.

Minnie Driver said previously: “Henry’s dad and I probably wouldn’t have any more together, but I would love to have more.”

However, Minnie Driver admitted to The Observer: “I couldn’t do another one without a partner; I couldn’t do two as a single mum, I really couldn’t. It would be too much.”

Speaking about how she coped during her pregnancy, Minnie Driver, who was one of two children born out of an affair – millionaire father Ron Driver, already had a wife and daughter who knew nothing of his other family – said: “I had good friends around me, so it was sort of hilarious.

“I was making a film at the time and the paparazzi would shout: <<Who’s the sperm donor?>> at me. Oh, it was an awful film [Motherhood] and I wouldn’t do that again, but I was heavily pregnant and I just wanted to take my mind off it.”

Minnie Driver admitted that motherhood has left its mark on her, and while she is admittedly involved in a “very selfish business”- she said: “I’ve started to enjoy my job more because I take it less seriously.”

Now that her son has got older, Minnie Driver has renewed her career ambitions. Her latest film, Hunky Dory, a small British indie from Jon Finn, the producer of Billy Elliot, is a high-school musical set in Wales during the heatwave of 1976.

And she has set her sights on a return to the small screen – again for less than selfish reasons.

“I still want an Oscar, and to work with Danny Boyle and Martin Scorsese – of course I want all of that.

“But what I really, really want to do is another US TV series… I want a regular pay cheque. And I want to be able to know when I can pick up Henry from school.”