1:58 PM PT -- The woman has been identified!!! She's actress Erin Cahill from the ABC show "Red Widow." We're told Erin and Seal met two days ago at a charity function.


Seal has broken the seal ... or so it appears ... passionately embracing a beautiful mystery woman in L.A. yesterday.

Sources close to the singer tell TMZ, the woman is NOT his publicist, his assistant, his manager, or anyone else professionally related to him ... which TOTALLY MEANS THEY'RE BANGING.


It's the first time he's been seen out with another woman since he and supermodel Heidi Klum split last year after 7 years of marriage.

Klum, meanwhile, has moved on just fine ...

A CHANGE IS GONNA COME for Seal ... at least in terms of where he lives ... 'cause TMZ has learned Heidi Klum's estranged hubby made a formal offer on his very own bachelor pad in L.A.

Our real estate sources tell us ... Seal has been eyeing a 5,500-square-foot mansion in Brentwood recently -- which hit the market 18 days ago for $6 MILLION.

We're told Seal perused the place all week -- and then formally made an offer on the 4-bedroom, 5.5-bath abode after his 3rd visit.

The crib is a panty dropper to say the least -- it's three levels ... runs on green energy ... has floor-to-ceiling windows ... a fireplace in the master B ... a media room ... gym ... and TWO separate kitchens.

Ya know, for entertaining more than one lady at a time. Niiiiiiiice.

Heidi Klum has some choice words for her ex, Seal -- and you can see 'em all over her chest (like you weren't looking). Yes, it's Harv's not-so-crazy-relatively-speaking ... Heidi tees theory.

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Heidi Klum wanted to make some kind of statement for sure -- aside from the fact that her kids wanted a bunch of pumpkins -- because she hit up the L.A. pumpkin patch Saturday riddled with paparazzi.

Klum's boyfriend/former bodyguard Martin Kristen kept a watchful eye on the kids as they loaded the cart with the moniker of Halloween. 

Could it be a message to Seal -- that she's just fine without him? Or is it just a plain ol' pumpkin thing?

Martin Kristen took off his bodyguard cap yesterday and donned his boyfriend one ... cheering alongside GF Heidi Klum at her son's football game in Brentwood yesterday.

Three cheers for ... anyone that lands Heidi Klum!

Heidi Klum showed up to the Emmy Awards moments ago without her bodyguard boyfriend ... but fully rocking her smokin' hot body.

Klum walked the red carpet at the Nokia theater in downtown L.A. sporting a scantily cut sea-foam dress ... where the plunging neckline and high leg slits managed to meet in practically the same place.

 ... and it was awesome.

Heidi Klum is really upset over brand new topless photos that have been published in a French magazine ... claiming her privacy was violated a la Kate Middleton ... and now she's seriously considering filing a lawsuit.

The photos have surfaced on several websites ... showing Heidi on vacation in the south of France with her bodyguard boyfriend ... sans bikini top.

There's just one problem ... it's unclear which French magazine published the original pics.

Sources close to Heidi tell TMZ ... the supermodel's camp is on the hunt for the source publication ... claiming her right to privacy was violated because she was on a private and secluded beach at the time the pics were taken. 

Sound familiar? We're told Heidi is comparing her situation to that of Kate Middleton ... who also believes she was the victim of privacy invasion when a paparazzo snapped topless pics of her while she was sunbathing at a private chateau in France.

We're told ... just like Kate, Heidi wants to sue someone's ass ... but realizes she might have better luck if she waits for Kate to blaze the legal trail. 

Long story short -- if Kate's legal attack is successful, Klum can simply copy her playbook ... and if it's not, she can learn from Kate's mistakes.

Supermodels -- they're not as dumb as you think.

Heidi Klum and her bodyguard/boyfriend Martin Kirsten were spotted this morning leaving the Beverly Hills Hotel after having breakfast together.

Heidi told Katie Couric this week that the two are "seeing" each other -- but despite Seal's claims, the relationship began after she split from him.

On her last trip to NYC, Heidi used a different bodyguard, giving her man the day off.

There are advantages to sleeping with the boss ... and those advantages are even better when the boss is Heidi Klum.

Heidi Klum's boyfriend -- formerly known as "The Help" -- was pulled over in L.A. earlier today ... after cops caught him doing the same thing everyone in L.A. does all the time ... texting while driving.

TMZ has learned ... Martin Kristen was pulled over on the 405 Freeway near the Sunset exit ... after a California Highway Patrol officer noticed the guy texting while driving a black Mercedes Benz passenger van.

Cops tell us Martin was cited and sent on his way.

We're told Heidi was NOT in the car at the time of the incident ... and obviously, neither was Seal.

Heidi Klum just admitted on national television ... she's getting it on with her bodyguard -- but the supermodel insisted she never cheated on Seal.

Heidi just opened up on Katie Couric's talk show, claiming she "never looked at another man" while she was with Seal -- despite Seal's accusations she boned the family bodyguard behind his back while they were married.

Heidi said she's known the bodyguard for 4 years and, over that time, they've become very close. Heidi said they are now "seeing" each other.

She added, "I don't know if I can call it [a relationship]. It just started. I don't know."

Heidi Klum and Seal are close to settling their divorce ... TMZ has learned.

Sources connected with Seal tell TMZ ... the singer is fully on board to end the marriage and now fully recognizes that the postnuptial agreement he signed is enforceable and will be "substantially honored."

As you know ... Seal erupted over the weekend, accusing Heidi of banging the bodyguard before the couple separated.  But our sources say Seal retracted his comment a day later, because he didn't want the divorce negotiations to become acrimonious. 

As we first reported ... Seal was pissed early on in the divorce and tried challenging the postnup, but he has since come around.