Tom Cruise 'didn't expect' Katie Holmes divorce

Tom Cruise at the UK Premiere of Oblivion. Photo/AP

Tom Cruise has admitted he "didn't expect" Katie Holmes to file for divorce last June.

The Oblivion star - who shares six-year-old daughter Suri with his 34-year-old ex-wife - was completely shocked when the actress decided to end their marriage after six years together and found it a challenge to move on with his life.

The 50-year-old star told German TV network ProSieben: "I didn't expect it.

"Life is a tragicomedy. You need to have a sense of humour.

"I had an unbelievable amount of time to think about it. Life is a challenge."

The three-times divorced actor added that he didn't expect to be single at his age but said that it has helped him to put things in perspective.

He explained: "To be 50 and to have experiences and to think, you have a grip on everything, and then it hits you: This is it, what life can do to you."

Former Dawson's Creek star Holmes filed for divorce last June and secured full custody of the couple's daughter, who she now lives with in New York.

Cruise, who was also previously married to actresses Mimi Rogers and Nicole Kidman, recently hired a private jet for Suri so that she can come to visit him on her birthday.

After her special seventh birthday visit on April 18, Suri will have permanent access to the jet, which is based at a Manhattan heliport.

He previously arranged for Suri to be flown out to London for five days in February, where he was filming sci-fi movie All You Need is Kill.

The actor also treated the little girl to a luxurious trip to Disney World in Orlando, Florida, last August where they spent the night in the exclusive Cinderella Castle.

- Bang! Showbiz