Jim Carrey ditches Jenny, Lenny and Dawn's marriage kaput

Celebrity couples Jim Carrey and Jenny McCarthy (L) and Dawn French and Lenny Henry (R) have both announced they are splitting up. Photos / AP, Supplied, Brett Phibbs

The storm clouds have well and truly gathered in Celebville today, folks. No fewer than two major split announcements have been made from solid-seeming celebrity couples.

"It's been fun, but it's over." So went the likely conversation between comedian Jim Carrey and partner Jenny McCarthy before they announced on their respective Twitter pages this morning that their love affair is over.

Carrey, 48, was the first to make the declaration.

He tweeted: "Jenny and I have just ended our 5yr relationship."

"I'm grateful 4 the many blessings we've shared and I wish her the very best! S'okay! ?;^>"

His now ex quickly confirmed the news: "Im so grateful for the years Jim and I had together. I will stay committed to Jane [Carrey's daughter] and will always keep Jim as a leading man in my heart."

A rep for McCarthy, 37, later issued a statement to US Magazine: "Jim and Jenny have recently decided to end their five year relationship. They are grateful for the many blessings they have shared and wish each other the very best."

It's an interesting manoeuvre to break the news over Twitter. They probably orchestrated it that way so that the news came straight from the horse's mouth, not screaming from the pages of a tabloid.

Would have been fun if they'd followed Twitter convention and '@ replied' each other in their announcements though. But maybe that's lampooning the situation.

Never say never...

It's no secret that the pair had been outspoken about not getting hitched. The word "never" was often heard emanating from their general direction. But McCarthy recently hinted there could have been a change of heart.

"We say 'never,' but I don't know," she said.

"Maybe for tax purposes, someday, when we are old."

"That's what we keep joking - like, when we are 70! But for now, we're fine. We are really fine!" she added.

And in a December interview on US TV show The View, McCarthy appeared to be loved up, saying, "I'm madly in love with him," adding, "He's the greatest guy."

She clearly felt the same way about Carrey on Valentine's day when she hired a sky writer plane to emblazon the words 'J (heart) J' in the cloud space above their shared Malibu beach home.

So what happened over the past three months? Knowing these guys and how they handle their press, we'll never know.

Good luck to them both. At least they seem to be handling the split like adults.

Round two

Gorgeous double act and comedy couple Dawn French and Lenny Henry also announced today that they are to end their 25-year marriage.

A spokesman for the comedy couple issued a statement, saying: "They made the decision last October and since then have been living together in constant, open and honest discussion.

"The separation is entirely amicable and they fully intend to maintain their close friendship. Their priority is to commit to the future joint parenting of their daughter. They ask that the media respect the privacy of their family. No further comment will be made."

They also appeared to have one of the most solid relationships in show business.

Their union survived a decidedly rocky patch in 1999 when Henry reportedly strayed after spending a night in a hotel room with 26-year-old Australian receptionist, Merri Cheyne.

Cheyne said during an interview: "We didn't have sex - he didn't so much as kiss me.

"I admit I was willing, I was able, I had a huge crush on him and flirted all night, but he rejected me."

Henry denied the affair and checked in to rehab, saying he was experiencing a "classic mid-life crisis" after turning 40 and losing his mother.

French, 52, described the scandal as a "blip", and conceded that the pair had had a "rough ride" but added, "we're all going to get married and a bit unmarried sometimes, and married again".

But some say the "blip" had taken its toll on their marriage.

A source close to the pair tells Britain's The Sun newspaper: "I was gobsmacked when I heard they were splitting, but the marriage has not been ideal for a while now.

"They are great friends but that's it really - the romance has gone. It's fizzled out. Lenny's fling, albeit many years ago, didn't exactly help things.

"For a while they've lived very separate lives. It's sad, but no different to what a lot of couples go through."

Saddening news, but for once we actually believe that this pair's split is amicable. You can't spend a quarter of a century together, entwined in each other's lives, without developing a deep friendship and understanding for each other.

But it's not all a plate of pity on today's gossip menu. Oh no...

The lovely George Clooney has dismissed escalating internet reports that he has ditched Italian girlfriend Elisabetta Canalis.

Rumour had it the Hollywood heartthrob had pulled the plug on their nine-month romance shortly after the Oscars.

"George loved her, but didn't want that lifestyle," a source told Britain's Grazia magazine.

"They'd been on the rocks since February, but held on to make it through awards season.

"They decided to go to the Oscars ceremony in LA together, but they didn't attend any showbiz after-parties together. George jetted straight out to Hawaii on his own for a few days later."

But wave away that red flag, it's a pack of lies says Clooney.

"Once again the story is made up, spread to other outlets and now denied," says Clooney via his rep.

Followed by one of Clooney's deadpan quips: "But don't let facts get in the way of a good story."

So there you go. There is a silver lining after all.

And we've always got Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell to hold on to. They've practically been together since birth. Well, 1983 to be exact.

So what's their secret? The fact they never married? Who knows. Let's hope they remain our baton carriers of hope that there really is such a thing as an enduring, long-term Hollywood relationship.

See you tomorrow, folks.

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