Shock Celebrity Splits

Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin's split has knocked us for six but theirs isn't the only celeb break-up we didn't see coming...

Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin have had one of the longest celebrity marriages on the go with a thought-to-be blissful 10 years behind them and two beautiful children together, so we were shocked to read the couple's break up news on Gwyneth's lifestyle bog, GOOP. The 41-year-old decided to announce her split from Coldplay rocker Chris in a newsletter alongside a guide to 'conscious uncoupling' and insisted that in many ways they 'are closer than we have ever been'.

Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin

Read more about Gwyneth & Chris' shock split

Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin

Read more about Gwyneth & Chris' shock split

Seal & Heidi Klum

Heidi Klum and Seal were widely thought as having one of the strongest marriages in Hollywood. The couple, who got hitched in Mexico in 2005, were famous for renewing their wedding vows every year on their wedding anniversary, as well as their regular red carpet PDAs. Sadly the pair have announced that, after seven years of marriage and much soul-searching, they are going their separate ways. In a statement, they said: 'We have had the deepest respect for one another throughout our relationship and continue to love each other very much, but we have grown apart.'

Read more about Heidi & Seal's shock split

Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes

We couldn't believe our ears when Hollywood's most publicly loved-up couple announced they were headed for divorce. After nearly six years of marriage, Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise ended their relationship, much to the shock of the outside world. The pair started dating in 2005 before tying the knot during a lavish and romantic ceremony in Italy in 2006. TomKat, as they were once affectionately called, have one daughter, Suri, together.

Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony

Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony were never afraid to flaunt their love so it came as quite a shock when, seemingly out of the blue, they announced they had decided to call time on their seven-year marriage in 2010. Despite J-Lo's new relationship with toyboy Casper Smart, the pair are still on good terms and are even continuing to work together on their reality TV show Q'Viva! The Chosen. If only all break-ups could be this friendly.

Eva Longoria and Tony Parker

Eva Longoria was clearly smitten with her basketball player husband throughout their four-year marriage but their union came to abrupt end amid allegations Parker had been unfaithful with his teammate's wife, Erin Barry. She has since described the divorce as 'heartbreaking.'

Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston

If we're completely honest, many of us at Marie Claire still haven't quite come to terms with the end of Jennifer Aniston's marriage to Brad Pitt. They were once Hollywood's golden couple and even their wedding vows were super-cute, with Jen pledging to make Brad's favourite banana milkshake and the actor promising to split the heating bill. In 2005, the pair broke all our hearts by announcing their split. Sob.

Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver

Arnold Schwarzenegger caused quite an uproar when he admitted fathering a lovechild with his housekeeper Mildred Baena and it's no surprise that his 25-year marriage to Maria Shriver suffered as a consequence. Arnie's statement at the time said: 'After leaving the governor's office I told my wife about this event, which occurred over a decade ago. I understand and deserve the feelings of anger and disappointment among my friends and family. There are no excuses and I take full responsibility for the hurt I have caused. I have apologized to Maria, my children and my family. I am truly sorry.'

Scarlett Johansson and Ryan Reynolds

Was there ever a more aesthetically pleasing couple than Scarlett Johansson and Ryan Reynolds? The fiercely private husband and wife seemed more than perfect to the outside world, with Ryan once saying the best thing about being married was getting to 'hang out with your best buddy every day.' But, after just two years, the gorgeous pair threw in the towel. Such a shame.

Courteney Cox and David Arquette

We had Courteney Cox and David Arquette's 11-year marriage down as one of the most successful in Hollywood but, in 2010, their relationship suffered the same fate as so many more before them. The couple, who have a daughter called Coco together, gave a trial separation a shot before finally announcing that they had begun divorce proceedings. As sad as it is, there are no hard feelings between their pair, Courteney even recently described him as her 'favourite person in the world.'

Sandra Bullock and Jesse James

The public may never forgive Jesse James for breaking the beloved Sandra Bullock's heart. Back in 2010, the mechanic admitted to his wife of five years that he'd been having an affair and she divorced him almost instantly. He's since gone on to be less than discreet about their relationship, even going so far as to release a tell-all book, in which he admitted what an idiot he'd been. He wrote: 'Sandy is everything that any man in the world could want: beautiful, talented, intelligent but somehow humble. And through my own selfishness and foolishness I?d lost her for ever.'

Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins

In 2009, actress Susan Sarandon split with her partner of 23 years, Tim Robbins. Although the couple had never been married the break-up came as a shock to the rest of the world. To this day we don't know why their relationship crumbled because the couple have never spoken publicly about the reasons behind their split.

Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears

The squeaky clean pop duo of Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake made perfect sense both on and off paper. Timberlake once said that he fell in love with Britney at first sight but after three years together the stars went their separate ways. They have always said the reason for their break-up was because she wanted to settle down and he didn't, but Timberlake's Cry Me A River sparked rumours that Ms Spears had been unfaithful.

Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise

No one loves a PDA more than Tom Cruise and we were treated to ten years of them throughout his decade-long marriage to Nicole Kidman. Their 2001 divorce came like a bolt out of the blue for most of us and Nicole has since admitted that she was very 'damaged' from the split.

Peter Andre and Katie Price

All seemed rosy for Katie Price and Peter Andre and news of their divorce knocked many for six. The couple have two kids together, Junior and Princess, and because of them Andre maintains that he's not ready to go into the details of why his marriage to the glamour model failed so suddenly and bitterly. He has assured us that 'something big happened.' We may never know...

Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe

Ryan Phillippe called his divorce from his wife of seven years, Reese Witherspoon, 'the darkest, saddest place I had ever been.' We couldn't agree more.

Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams

They melted our hearts in The Notebook, so imagine the joy Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams caused their fans when they became a real life couple. Their relationship wasn't meant to last, though, and after three years they called it quits. So distraught were the public that Gosling admitted that he often had to console his fans. He said at the time: 'A girl came up to me on the street and she almost smacked me. Like, "How could you? How could you let a girl like that go?"

'I feel like I want to give people hugs, they seem so sad. Rachel and I should be the ones getting hugs! Instead, we're consoling everybody else.'

Demi Moore and Bruce Willis

Long before Ashton Kutcher, Demi Moore was married to Bruce Willis for 13 years. It was a coupling that we never saw ending and in a way it hasn't. The pair are still great friends, so much so that they still go on family holidays together and Bruce has said that he still feels great love for his ex-wife. We love an amicable split!

Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman

Uma Thurman called her split from husband of five years, Ethan Hawke, 'excrutiating.' At the time, there were rumours he had cheated and Uma has since confessed that the shock and pain of their failed marriage took her four years to get over.

Hugh Grant and Liz Hurley

Any woman that can forgive her man for being caught red-handed with a prostitute is in it for the long haul, hence the great shock the public felt when Elizabeth Hurley and Hugh Grant announced that they were going their separate ways after 13 years together. Luckily the pair have remained incredibly close and Liz has described Hugh as part of her family.

Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey

Anyone who watched Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey's reality show, Newlyweds (go on, admit it, you loved it), would have been rooting for these two to have a long and happy marriage. Unfortunately, they divorced after just three years of marriage and have hardly spoken since.