15 Of The Most Shocking Breakups Of The Century

We love a celebrity romance and there are some high-profile relationships so perfect they make us believe in true love all over again. Sure the odds are against Hollywood marriages, according to the International Business Times couples will only have a 35 percent success rate (compared to a 26 percent success rate amongst us lesser mortals) so it always feels as if we are more likely to read about a breakup than a new hookup.

Sir Paul Coleridge, a former High Court family judge told the Daily Mail, "Celebs become, no doubt involuntarily, high-profile role models but research shows that in their domestic lives these people experience even more pain and suffering. (They) may dazzle us with their fairytale weddings, 15-tier cakes and horse-drawn carriages, but all too often these weddings are followed, in quick succession by a bitter and tortuous fallout and divorce played out in the public eye in grisly detail."

There are many reasons why these turbulent splits happen - often it's infidelity, financial differences, chaotic schedules or even jealousy as one partner begins to rake in more work than the other. With our thirst for celebrity gossip and a look into their private lives, it's not long before such information becomes public and thats when things start to get really messy. Although we expect a certain standard of drama for our stars, when it came to these following stars breaking up nobody saw it coming.

These are the following 15 breakups that came as a complete shock to not just the couple - but also the whole world.

15 Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries

In 2011, Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries appeared like a picture of true marital bliss. The lavish $10 million ceremony was held in Montecito, California, and it it looked as if Kim had secured her happy-ever-after. Then after just 72-days of marriage - Kim called it quits. In a statement exclusively to E! she announced, "After careful consideration, I have decided to end my marriage. I hope everyone understands this was not an easy decision. I had hoped this marriage was forever, but sometimes things don't work out as planned."

Humphries appeared shocked too as he issued a statement via his own representatives that read: "I love my wife and am devastated to learn she filed for divorce. I'm willing to do whatever it takes to make it work." However, when it was revealed the couple netted a reported $18m from magazine deals, TV coverage and endorsements surrounding their wedding he went on the defensive. Humphries tried to sue Kim for basically arranging the whole marriage as a publicity stunt and tried to sue his now ex-wife for $10 million. He eventually settled for a smaller amount outside if court after a bitter divorce battle that lasted 461 days longer than their actual marriage.

14 Katy Perry and Russell Brand

It was the match made in heaven - the eccentric Russell Brand and vibrant Katy Perry were like a charisma overload. In 2010, they married in a traditional Hindu ceremony near the Ranthambhore tiger sanctuary in Rajasthan. Sadly, it was not meant to be and Brand announced days before New Year's Eve 2011 they were divorcing after just 14 months of marriage.

Katy revealed to Marie Claire she was a "wreck" after the split and that she only consumed "flamin hot Cheetos and alcohol" for weeks. The Firework singer also revealed the reason they split was because of her reluctance to have children. She said, "(Brand) really wanted me to have children, and I knew I wasn't ready - I think it was a way of control. I really wanted to, but I knew I wasn't ready for it."

Brand on the other hand had a different story to tell. In his documentary Brand: A Second Coming he revealed his marriage broke down because he resented the spotlight. Brand revealed, "(I thought) I'm living, like, this life of the very thing I detest: vapid, vacuous celebrity. Fame, power and money is bull****."

13 Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis

In 2013, after fourteen years together, Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis announced they were breaking up for good. Depp told Rolling Stone magazine, "The last couple years have been a bit bumpy. At times, certainly unpleasant, but that's the nature of breakups, I guess, especially when there are kiddies involved." They have two children together - 17-year-old Lily-Rose and 14-year-old Jack. The Pirates of the Caribbean star added, "Relationships are very difficult. Especially in the racket that I'm in because you're constantly away so it's hard. It wasn't easy on her. It wasn't easy on me. It wasn't easy on the kids."

Although it might not just have been distance that caused the couple to split - but instead how close he was getting to his Rum Diary co-star, Amber Heard, who is 22-years his junior. In a different interview with People magazine, Depp revealed right after his split from Paradis he went running after Heard. He said, "She was in my head, so I tracked her down. Actually, incidentally, it was amazing. Then we married that very day!" Heard kept Depp under her spell until they divorced following claims of domestic abuse earlier this year. Her $7 million settlement was donated to charity.

12 Tim Burton and Helena Bonham Carter

One of the coolest and kookiest couples in the world - director Tim Burton and British actress Helena Bonham Carter - always appeared like an unshakeable team during their 13 years together. He directed her in many of his movies including Alice In Wonderland, Big Fish and Sweeny Todd.

In a heartbreaking statement to Vanity Fair magazine, Carter stated, "We did find each other. And really, the mark of a successful relationship shouldn't be whether you're there forever after. Sometimes you're not meant to be forever together. Sometimes you have to come to terms with the fact that that was it. But that was a gift, a massive gift. We gave each other children and a lot more else. Our relationship was always somewhat special, and I think it'll always remain special.”

The quirky pair never shared a home together - instead they chose to live as neighbours in adjoining homes. Carter added. "My house looks like something out of Beatrix Potter, but if you go over to his house, you're in a totally different place. He's got slime balls and dead Oompa-Loompas lying around, and skeletons and weird alien lights." Just what we would expect from the pair.

11 Sarah Silverman and Jimmy Kimmel

Jimmy Kimmel and Sarah Silverman hooking up was a match made in comedy heaven. The pair met in 2001 during the comedy roast of Hugh Hefner, after Kimmel introduced Silverman to the stage she opened with the line, "Jimmy Kimmel, everyone! He's fat and has no charisma." Over the five years that followed, Silverman made many guest appearances on his show including showing the video for the hilarious "I'm F***ing Matt Damon" for the first time.

Never one to miss a chance to joke around, four years later Silverman returned to his show live on air with a box labelled "Jimmy's Stuff." She laughed, "This is some stuff of yours that you left, I figured I'd return it" before pulling out items including a toothbrush, an old mobile phone charger, and a huge pair of jeans. She joked holding up the giant jeans, "I loved you - I loved you your size." On a more serious note, Silverman revealed during her live stand-up show: "I will always love (Kimmel). Sometimes I think maybe we'll die together in our old age or something."

10 Kris Jenner and Bruce Jenner

Kris and Bruce Jenner were married for 22 years, during their time together they even managed to give the world Kendall and Kylie. It all started in 1991, just one month after Kris divorced Rob Kardashian, she met former Olympian Bruce Jenner. The pair had been dating for only five months when Bruce proposed. Kris recalls, "We had been house-hunting all day and then I thought to myself, 'I must be out of my mind that we're house-hunting. We're not even married, we're not even engaged!' And that night he just busted out a move. He said, 'I am totally in love with you and would you marry me?' I was very surprised." They married in a small ceremony that took place in a friend's backyard.

Then in 2015, Bruce Jenner finally made his transition to Caitlyn Jenner. In an exclusive interview with Diane Sawyer, the 65-year-old publicly announced he was living with the "soul of a woman." He told Sawyer, "I felt like a liar", he would make speeches telling people to "find the champion inside you" then return to his hotel room, take off his suit and changed into a dress so he could become 'her'.

Although the split was amicable, Caitlyn Jenner didn't hold back about Kris and her controlling ways at home. During an interview with Vanity Fair magazine, Cailtyn revealed, "The first 15 years I felt she needed me more because I was the breadwinner. Then really (when KUWTK) hit and she was running the whole show and she had her own money. I think in a lot of ways she became less tolerant of me." Caitlyn continued, "A lot of times she wasn't very nice. People would see how I got mistreated. She controlled the money, all that kind of stuff."

9 Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey

Before Paris Hilton and the Kardashians, one of the only reality shows we watched to get our fly-on-the-wall celebrity fix was Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica. Over 41 episodes we got to see Jessica play up to her "dumb, southern blonde" persona and Nick show-off just how macho he is. There were kisses, cuddles and plenty of gift swapping - but sadly in came to an end. In 2005, the couple announced they were divorcing and issued the statement: "This is the mutual decision of two people with an enormous amount of respect and admiration for each other."

A source told People magazine that it was Jessica who asked for a divorce since she had become sick of his partying ways. They reported, "It upset her that she was at home by herself with the dog and he is with single guys partying. She wondered, 'Do I have to follow you around to clubs to make you happy?' She doesn't like that world. Her idea of a great night is to order Chinese food and ice cream and watch movies."

It was also revealed that it was Joe Simpson, Jessica's father and full-time manager, who convinced her to divorce. A family friend Lynn Zednick Shaw told People, "(Joe) controls Jessica's life and therefore has controlled Nick's life. I'm not saying they don't have problems, but Nick loves Jessica. I'm telling you, it's Joe." Jessica has since moved on and married NFL player Eric Johnson, and Lachey married model, TV host and former Miss Teen USA, Vanessa Minnillo.

8 Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe

Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe were the ultimate teen stars on the 90s and when they got together it was a match made in young adult heaven. After meeting on the set of Cruel Intentions, the pair later went on to marry and have two children together. Then in 2006, they sadly announced their split, a time in Witherspoon's life she told Elle magazine "was very humiliating and very isolating." Phillippe also revealed going through the divorce was the "darkest saddest place I had ever been."

The end of the marriage came not long after rumors of Phillippe's alleged cheating scandal with his Stop-Loss costar, Abbie Cornish. This was said to be the final straw for Witherspoon who began the divorce proceedings. If we were in doubt of any foul play - Phillippe and Cornish actually rubbed it in by dating each other and appearing at red carpet events together shortly after the split. Case closed.

However, that is all in the past and the couple continue to co-parent together. Witherspoon revealed, "My ex-husband is very involved in raising our beautiful children. We're very lucky because we both grew up in working families in middle America. We're on the same page that way. When we're with our children, we're very good about checking ourselves. I'm teaching the children what we were taught growing up - a real set of rules, discipline and love."

7 Chloe Moretz and Brooklyn Beckham

We have all our money on 19-year-old Chloe Moretz and 17-year-old Brooklyn Beckham becoming the next ultimate power couple - following in the footsteps of Brooklyn's parents, David and Victoria Beckham. The young loves began house hunting together and Reveal reported; "They've found a four-bedroom house in Venice Beach for $8 million. Chloe already has her own digs, but she believes it's time to get a place both she and Brooklyn can call their own."

During an interview with Elle magazine Chloe gushed about Brooklyn, "My boyfriend is a huge support. I mean, don't get me wrong, I don't need a man for anything. But when I'm feeling bad about myself, he's like, 'Stop. Look at what you say in interviews. Look at what you stand for. Listen to your own words, because you're as beautiful as you say you are!'" Aww - okay now we are melting. They also showered each other with affection and admiration via some of the cutest Instagram snaps we've ever seen.

Sadly it was not meant to be, heartbreak struck and the pair broke up last month. Brooklyn moved with his family back to London from Los Angeles and Chloe cancelled all her upcoming movies. The drastic move was a shock for many as she was tipped to be a huge Hollywood star and she told the Hollywood Reporter, "I pulled the plug on all my movies because I want to reassess who I am and find myself within my roles again." We're keeping our fingers crossed there may be a reconciliation on the cards.

6 Heidi Klum and Seal

Heidi Klum and Seal were the picture of marital bliss. In 2003, Klum fell pregnant with her then-partner Flavio Briatore, the Italian Formula One manager but they split before she gave birth. Seal stepped in and was present when baby Leni was born, although Briatore is not present in his daughter's life, Klum stated: "Seal is Leni's father." They married two years later and were so in love their vows were renewed every year after that.

After seven years together, they announced the news that shocked the world - they were going to divorce. During the split, Seal had become infuriated that Klum had been getting close to the "help" including her own bodyguard. He told TMZ, "Whilst I didn't expect anything better from him, I would of thought that Heidi would have shown a little more class and at least waited until we separated first before deciding to fornicate with the help."

He added, "That's what happens when two people separate, they move on and generally meet other people in their lives. I certainly don't expect Heidi to all of a sudden become a nun, but as always my main priority is the emotional well-being of my children, and to be quite honest if there is going to be someone else there in their lives, I would much rather it was a familiar face." Well we can't say he doesn't know how to tell it like it is.

5 Taylor Swift and Tom Hiddleston

It started as a dance-off during the Met Ball, broke the heart of Calvin Harris, became world news with it's own hashtag "Hiddleswift", but is now nothing more than a few photographs of the couple cuddling on some rocks at a Long Island Beach. The Taylor Swift and Tom Hiddleston romance was so brief but the split shocked everyone because it felt like the real deal. Hiddleston wore an "I <3 T.S." shirt and Swift met his parents in the UK within the first month of dating - it doesn't get much more official than that.

Unfortunately for Hiddleston, who is tipped to be the next James Bond, his management team were not happy with the over-exposure that comes with dating TayTay and he was pretty fed up with being dragged around on her arm everywhere. Star magazine reported, "(Tom) went along with all of Taylor's publicity stunts and came to regret it. He feels like he's become a laughingstock." Although Tom is a hopeless romantic, he was convinced out of the relationship for the sake of his career - sadly he will also be remembered for this brief relationship along with all the other ex's Swift has tallied up.

4 Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck 

In 2002, Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck became the celebrity super couple that was "Bennifer." Within 18-months they were engaged, but the press attention was so extensive they had to call off their wedding just four days before the big day. Lopez said it was her first "real heartbreak" after she spent months planning for dream fairytale wedding to the man of her dreams. In her memoir, True Love, she writes, "It felt like my heart had been torn out of my chest." She also added, "I'd probably say that he is brilliantly smart, loving, charming, affectionate. And I just admire him in every way." 

The constant paparazzi frenzy became too much for Affleck and he ended the relationship in 2004. After the split, Affleck had a pretty rough time as the negative press attention continued and he recalled to chat show host Bill Simmons, "If you went by what people said, I wasn't cool and I wasn't talented, and I was, like, the lowest rung of cool and talented that you could possibly be in the public consciousness at that time. I had broken up with Jennifer Lopez and I had, like, three or four movies in a row that had bombed."

They have since both moved on, Affleck married Jennifer Garner and had two children whereas Lopez married Marc Anthony and had twins, but now they are divorced - could a reconciliation be on the cards?

3 Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake 

In 2001, Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake wore matching denim outfits to the American Music Awards and their fashion choice has since become one of the most memorable red carpet moments of all time. From 1999 to 2002, the southern belles dated and Timberlake told Vanity Fair it worked because "We were two birds of the same feather - small-town kids, doing the same thing."

The cute couple had been romantically linked ever since they were both kids on Disney's hit show The Mickey Mouse Club but only when their music careers reached peak stardom did it seem natural for these two to become official. However, too much of a good thing seemed to have a counter-effect for them both. Timberlake also revealed, "We could literally go, 'Oh, man, let's go to Bali,' and we'd be on a plane to Bali. We were little kids with big toys. You do the math - that's not going to last."

Sadly, they were not meant to be and split for good. Timberlake then faced a public backlash for 'using' his ex-girlfriends fame to boost his own career. He dropped the video for Cry Me a River that featured a Brit-a-like and hinted there had been some cheating going on. Spears told The Sun newspaper, "I'm still hurting but I am trying to see it as an experience. The worst thing is everyone wants to talk to me about it. Everywhere I go people are asking how I am." Now all we have left to remind us of that time in pop history is those outfits.

2 Rihanna and Chris Brown 

What appeared to be a happy relationship, Rihanna was clearly in love with Chris Brown and vice versa, but behind the scenes it was volatile and violent. In 2009, Rihanna's scheduled performance at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards was cancelled and photos were leaked online showing Brown had physically assaulted her.

He was arrested on suspicion of making criminal threats. On March 5, 2009, Brown was charged with assault and making criminal threats. He pleaded guilty to felony assault, received five years probation and was ordered to stay fifty yards (46 meters) away from Rihanna, unless at public events, which then would be reduced to ten yards (nine meters). Two years later, with Rihanna's consent the restraining order was lifted as she made the decision to give him a second chance.

Vanity Fair asked Rihanna if she believed she could change Chris Brown and she responded, "A hundred percent. I was very protective of him. I felt that people didn't understand him. But you know, you realize after a while that in that situation you're the enemy. You want the best for them, but if you remind them of their failures, or if you remind them of bad moments in their life, or even if you say I'm willing to put up with something, they think less of you - because they know you don't deserve what they're going to give."

1 Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie

It was the news that shocked the world - Hollywood royalty 41-year-old Angelina Jolie and 52-year-old Brad Pitt were to divorce after 12 years together. The pair have six children; adopted Maddox, 15, Pax, 12, Zahara, 11, and their three biological children Shiloh, 10, and twins Knox and Vivienne, 8.

Robert Offer, Jolie's lawyer, stated she had filed for the dissolution of the marriage "for the health of the family". TMZ also reported, "Sources connected with the couple tell us Angelina's decision to file has to do with the way Brad was parenting the children - she was extremely upset with his methods. Her decision was solely over Brad's interaction with their children."

According to reports, there was an incident on a private jet where Brad lashed out angrily at the children - however this is something his team strongly denies. A source told Us magazine, "(Pitt) can't believe this is what his life has become and he's in bad shape but the kids are the only thing he's hanging onto." As the divorce battle continues to rage on even more dirty laundry could be made public.