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Conscious uncoupling and other weird and wonderful celebrity breakup statements

  • Singer Miley Cyrus and Australian actor Liam Hemsworth have announced their separation after less than eight months of marriage. The couple have been in an on-off relationship since meeting on the set of 'The Last Song' in 2009, and became engaged for the second time in October 2016 before marrying in December 2018. In a statement shared on his Instagram account, Hemsworth said he wished Cyrus "nothing but health and happiness going forward". [Photo: Getty]
    1/10

    Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth

    Singer Miley Cyrus and Australian actor Liam Hemsworth have announced their separation after less than eight months of marriage. The couple have been in an on-off relationship since meeting on the set of 'The Last Song' in 2009, and became engaged for the second time in October 2016 before marrying in December 2018. In a statement shared on his Instagram account, Hemsworth said he wished Cyrus "nothing but health and happiness going forward". [Photo: Getty]
  • Romance expert Tiffany Wright believes that the repetition of the word ‘love’ in this statement highlights that this couple really did and likely still do love each other. “But it also addresses the fact that sometimes people’s life paths do change,” she says. “It also suggests that they didn’t want to leave the relationship to go stale as a result of their decisions. So they have decided to split whilst they still love and care for one another.” That’s something Nichi Hodgson dating coach for Inner Circle agrees with. “Their statement seems to be very reluctant and still-loving,” she says. “Clearly they’re still wanting to hold onto the fairytale. More cynically, this could also be about wanting to hold onto public favour,” she adds. Nichi believes the fact that they’re merely taking a different path leaves potential for reconciliation. Here’s hoping *crossing fingers emoji* [Photo: Getty]
    2/10

    Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan

    Romance expert Tiffany Wright believes that the repetition of the word ‘love’ in this statement highlights that this couple really did and likely still do love each other. “But it also addresses the fact that sometimes people’s life paths do change,” she says. “It also suggests that they didn’t want to leave the relationship to go stale as a result of their decisions. So they have decided to split whilst they still love and care for one another.” That’s something Nichi Hodgson dating coach for Inner Circle agrees with. “Their statement seems to be very reluctant and still-loving,” she says. “Clearly they’re still wanting to hold onto the fairytale. More cynically, this could also be about wanting to hold onto public favour,” she adds. Nichi believes the fact that they’re merely taking a different path leaves potential for reconciliation. Here’s hoping *crossing fingers emoji* [Photo: Getty]
  • Nichi Hodgson thinks that this is another example of a reluctant breakup. “The fact the statement was released six months after their split reinforces this,” she says. “The focus on privacy could be about an infidelity and indiscretion that they want to deflect attention from,” she suggests. [Photo: Getty]
    3/10

    Fergie and Josh Duhamel

    Nichi Hodgson thinks that this is another example of a reluctant breakup. “The fact the statement was released six months after their split reinforces this,” she says. “The focus on privacy could be about an infidelity and indiscretion that they want to deflect attention from,” she suggests. [Photo: Getty]
  • Keep up to speed at a glance with the Top 10 daily stories

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    Keep up to speed at a glance with the Top 10 daily stories

  • According to Nichi Hodgson the use of the term ‘partners’ when it comes to their kids, albeit not of each other, indicates that the former flams are respectful of one another and united in their parenting goals. [Photo: Getty]
    4/10

    Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale

    According to Nichi Hodgson the use of the term ‘partners’ when it comes to their kids, albeit not of each other, indicates that the former flams are respectful of one another and united in their parenting goals. [Photo: Getty]
  • “The use of the ‘d’ word in this statement indicates that this is final,” says Nichi Hodgson. “‘Co-parenting’ is also quite a formal term to use and suggests that they’ve used lawyers rather than just publicists to get to this stage,” she adds. [Photo: Getty]
    5/10

    Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner

    “The use of the ‘d’ word in this statement indicates that this is final,” says Nichi Hodgson. “‘Co-parenting’ is also quite a formal term to use and suggests that they’ve used lawyers rather than just publicists to get to this stage,” she adds. [Photo: Getty]
  • Nichi Hodgson believes this statement indicates the pain of divorce while trying to focus on looking to the point past it. “There is a real emphasis on seeing themselves as a family unit rather than just a couple,” she says. [Photo: Getty]
    6/10

    Drew Barrymore and Will Kopelman

    Nichi Hodgson believes this statement indicates the pain of divorce while trying to focus on looking to the point past it. “There is a real emphasis on seeing themselves as a family unit rather than just a couple,” she says. [Photo: Getty]
  • Keep up to speed at a glance with the Top 10 daily stories

    Yahoo News is better in the app

    Keep up to speed at a glance with the Top 10 daily stories

  • “There is a real emphasis on sadness in this statement,” says Nichi Hogson of the most famous breakup statement ever. “‘Consciously uncoupling’ is a more elevated and acrimonious way of announcing separation rather than divorce. It suggests they’re trying to take the spiritual, ‘progressive’ route out of sadness,” she explains. [Photo: Instagram/Gwyneth Paltrow]
    7/10

    Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin

    “There is a real emphasis on sadness in this statement,” says Nichi Hogson of the most famous breakup statement ever. “‘Consciously uncoupling’ is a more elevated and acrimonious way of announcing separation rather than divorce. It suggests they’re trying to take the spiritual, ‘progressive’ route out of sadness,” she explains. [Photo: Instagram/Gwyneth Paltrow]
  • Tiffany Wright believes this statement reflects the stress that conducting a relationship in the spotlight can cause. “As mentioned they have said they don’t usually comment on their relationship in the press but they have been forced to because of ‘inaccurate rumours.’ Perhaps this couple were concerned about the way the rumours could have altered their public image and so felt the need to address it. To me, this couple’s career and reputation seems very important to them,” she expains. Nichi Hodgson has another theory. “The reference to never wanting to comment previously could mean they were never quite sure where they stood. Or it was a more casual, less committed relationship,” she says. “There is a real emphasis on wanting to take control of the narrative,” she adds. [Photo: Getty]
    8/10

    Justin Timberlake and Cameron Diaz

    Tiffany Wright believes this statement reflects the stress that conducting a relationship in the spotlight can cause. “As mentioned they have said they don’t usually comment on their relationship in the press but they have been forced to because of ‘inaccurate rumours.’ Perhaps this couple were concerned about the way the rumours could have altered their public image and so felt the need to address it. To me, this couple’s career and reputation seems very important to them,” she expains. Nichi Hodgson has another theory. “The reference to never wanting to comment previously could mean they were never quite sure where they stood. Or it was a more casual, less committed relationship,” she says. “There is a real emphasis on wanting to take control of the narrative,” she adds. [Photo: Getty]
  • “The focus on this statement is the dedication to their children,” says Tiffany Wright. “They don’t pin any blame on each other for the breakup but make the focus on their family and asking people to be sensitive to this.” “This couples relationship has always been about family and all of their children so it makes sense that the divorce focuses on their family,” she adds. Nichi Hodgson believes the fact that the couple announced in separate ‘I’ statements with no respect paid to one another indicates a clear animosity between them. [Photo: Getty]
    9/10

    Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie

    “The focus on this statement is the dedication to their children,” says Tiffany Wright. “They don’t pin any blame on each other for the breakup but make the focus on their family and asking people to be sensitive to this.” “This couples relationship has always been about family and all of their children so it makes sense that the divorce focuses on their family,” she adds. Nichi Hodgson believes the fact that the couple announced in separate ‘I’ statements with no respect paid to one another indicates a clear animosity between them. [Photo: Getty]
  • Keep up to speed at a glance with the Top 10 daily stories

    Yahoo News is better in the app

    Keep up to speed at a glance with the Top 10 daily stories

  • “They emphasise the fact that they have been in a long term relationship for 7 years,” says Tiffany Wright. “This seems an attempt to prove that their relationship was not just for the press. It now seems that their split may have come about as the result of an affair and they subtly address this by saying that the decision was made after ‘thoughtful consideration.'” Now that both Brad and Jen are both now single following their latest splits from Justin Theroux and Angelina Jolie respectively, odds have been cut that they might get back together. [Photo: Getty]
    10/10

    Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston

    “They emphasise the fact that they have been in a long term relationship for 7 years,” says Tiffany Wright. “This seems an attempt to prove that their relationship was not just for the press. It now seems that their split may have come about as the result of an affair and they subtly address this by saying that the decision was made after ‘thoughtful consideration.'” Now that both Brad and Jen are both now single following their latest splits from Justin Theroux and Angelina Jolie respectively, odds have been cut that they might get back together. [Photo: Getty]
Singer Miley Cyrus and Australian actor Liam Hemsworth have announced their separation after less than eight months of marriage. The couple have been in an on-off relationship since meeting on the set of 'The Last Song' in 2009, and became engaged for the second time in October 2016 before marrying in December 2018. In a statement shared on his Instagram account, Hemsworth said he wished Cyrus "nothing but health and happiness going forward". [Photo: Getty]
Romance expert Tiffany Wright believes that the repetition of the word ‘love’ in this statement highlights that this couple really did and likely still do love each other. “But it also addresses the fact that sometimes people’s life paths do change,” she says. “It also suggests that they didn’t want to leave the relationship to go stale as a result of their decisions. So they have decided to split whilst they still love and care for one another.” That’s something Nichi Hodgson dating coach for Inner Circle agrees with. “Their statement seems to be very reluctant and still-loving,” she says. “Clearly they’re still wanting to hold onto the fairytale. More cynically, this could also be about wanting to hold onto public favour,” she adds. Nichi believes the fact that they’re merely taking a different path leaves potential for reconciliation. Here’s hoping *crossing fingers emoji* [Photo: Getty]
Nichi Hodgson thinks that this is another example of a reluctant breakup. “The fact the statement was released six months after their split reinforces this,” she says. “The focus on privacy could be about an infidelity and indiscretion that they want to deflect attention from,” she suggests. [Photo: Getty]
According to Nichi Hodgson the use of the term ‘partners’ when it comes to their kids, albeit not of each other, indicates that the former flams are respectful of one another and united in their parenting goals. [Photo: Getty]
“The use of the ‘d’ word in this statement indicates that this is final,” says Nichi Hodgson. “‘Co-parenting’ is also quite a formal term to use and suggests that they’ve used lawyers rather than just publicists to get to this stage,” she adds. [Photo: Getty]
Nichi Hodgson believes this statement indicates the pain of divorce while trying to focus on looking to the point past it. “There is a real emphasis on seeing themselves as a family unit rather than just a couple,” she says. [Photo: Getty]
“There is a real emphasis on sadness in this statement,” says Nichi Hogson of the most famous breakup statement ever. “‘Consciously uncoupling’ is a more elevated and acrimonious way of announcing separation rather than divorce. It suggests they’re trying to take the spiritual, ‘progressive’ route out of sadness,” she explains. [Photo: Instagram/Gwyneth Paltrow]
Tiffany Wright believes this statement reflects the stress that conducting a relationship in the spotlight can cause. “As mentioned they have said they don’t usually comment on their relationship in the press but they have been forced to because of ‘inaccurate rumours.’ Perhaps this couple were concerned about the way the rumours could have altered their public image and so felt the need to address it. To me, this couple’s career and reputation seems very important to them,” she expains. Nichi Hodgson has another theory. “The reference to never wanting to comment previously could mean they were never quite sure where they stood. Or it was a more casual, less committed relationship,” she says. “There is a real emphasis on wanting to take control of the narrative,” she adds. [Photo: Getty]
“The focus on this statement is the dedication to their children,” says Tiffany Wright. “They don’t pin any blame on each other for the breakup but make the focus on their family and asking people to be sensitive to this.” “This couples relationship has always been about family and all of their children so it makes sense that the divorce focuses on their family,” she adds. Nichi Hodgson believes the fact that the couple announced in separate ‘I’ statements with no respect paid to one another indicates a clear animosity between them. [Photo: Getty]
“They emphasise the fact that they have been in a long term relationship for 7 years,” says Tiffany Wright. “This seems an attempt to prove that their relationship was not just for the press. It now seems that their split may have come about as the result of an affair and they subtly address this by saying that the decision was made after ‘thoughtful consideration.'” Now that both Brad and Jen are both now single following their latest splits from Justin Theroux and Angelina Jolie respectively, odds have been cut that they might get back together. [Photo: Getty]
Yahoo Style UK team

This is updated from a previous piece published in April 2018.

Celebrity breakups can be heartbreaking. Not only for the couple involved (obvs) but also for us mere mortals for whom every A-list split destroys a little of our faith in love and happily ever after.

Just last night, actor Liam Hemsworth released a break-up statement on his Instagram confirming his split from Miley Cyrus after less than eight months of marriage.

In real life, when a relationship comes to an end it’s painful enough having to tell your mates, mum and maybe even your kids, but spare a thought for those famous folk who have to open up about it to the entire planet.

READ MORE: Are single parents right to put their children before dating?

Yep, celebrities can’t just hide away heaving into the Haagen Dazs they have to issue an actual statement declaring their relationship failure to the whole world.

“As a celebrity it is incredibly tricky it is to put out a breakup statement,” says Tiffany Wright, romance expert and Founder and Director of UK and Europe’s first Romance Planning company ‘The One Romance’

“Whereas us normal people can just break up and go and cry in private, celebs have to actually put something together to reveal to everyone, which must be incredibly pressuring.”

Sure, they probably have a bit of help from publicists in picking their words, but boy those break up statements are fascinating.

READ MORE: Here's how to break up with someone in the kindest way

Whether they’re throwing hidden shade to their former partner or declaring a new found love for being placed in the friend zone, the unofficial celebrity requirement to put pen to paper and declare their public pain can reveal some interesting insights about their relationships.

Here’s our pick of the most shocking celebrity breakups and their thought-provoking, and in some cases plain weird (“consciously uncoupling” anyone?), statements.