Michael Sheen is devastated after his director pal PETER MORGAN quit work on his new Tony Blair movie THE SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP.

The pair has shared a close friendship since the screenwriter cast the actor in his 2006 play Frost/Nixon, which went onto become Sheen's Oscar-nominated movie. Morgan was also responsible for casting Sheen as former British Prime Minister Blair in his critically acclaimed film The Queen.

Morgan was set to make his directorial debut in The Special Relationship - based on Blair's political relationship with former U.S. President Bill Clinton.

He has now pulled out just weeks before filming was due to start, without giving any reason for his decision - leaving Sheen struggling to comprehend the news.

A source tells Britain's the Daily Express newspaper, "Michael and Peter have a very successful history together so this will inevitably come as a blow to Michael. Michael now has to get used to working with a different director."

British filmmaker Richard Loncraine, who directed 2004 movie Wimbledon, will replace Morgan in the drama, which is due for release in 2011.

Morgan recently signed up to co-write the next James Bond installment, in which Sheen is rumoured to star as 007's arch enemy Blofeld.