Celebrity splits 2016: From Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie to Taylor Swift and Tom Hiddleston

Love seemed to die a little bit in 2016 as a number of A-list couples called time on their romances 
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Jennifer Ruby24 December 2016
The Weekender

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While a number of celebrity relationships bit the dust in 2015, this really was the year that love seemed to die in the showbiz world.

A number of seemingly solid couples called it quits in 2016, with Brad Pitt’s break-up from Angelina Jolie coming as a major shock to fans.

The A-list pair, who began dating way back in 2005, announced their separation in September, with Jolie filing for divorce from her famous husband.

Pitt was latterly cleared of any wrongdoing after the Los Angeles Department of Children and Family Services investigated allegations of an incident that occurred on a private plane back in September, involving his 15-year-old son Maddox.

Dramatic: Johnny Depp and Amber Heard had a messy divorce (AP)
Joel Ryan/AP

Fellow Hollywood heavyweight Johnny Depp also had a rather acrimonious split from wife Amber Heard back in May, with the divorce quickly settled in August.

Heard was granted a temporary restraining order against her husband after claiming that he had been verbally and physically abusive.

Depp agreed to pay his wife £7 million in the divorce settlement, which she has pledged to donate to charity.

All over: Tom Hiddleston and Taylor Swift had a brief romance
Jerad Williams/Newspix/Rex

Taylor Swift has been through two break-ups this year, the first being her split from Scottish DJ Calvin Harris after 18 months together.

Just a few weeks later the Shake It Off singer was pictured striking up a new romance with British actor Tom Hiddleston, but it all went south after just a few months.

Other surprise splits included Millie Mackintosh and husband Professor Green, who announced plans to divorce at the beginning of the year.

Naomi Watts and Liev Schreiber ended their 11-year relationship in September as did Joshua Jackson and Diane Kruger.

A number of British acting couples also went their separate ways in 2016, including Laurence Fox and Billie Piper and James McAvoy and Anne Marie Duff.

Sherlock fans everywhere shed a tear when Martin Freeman revealed that his 16-year relationship with co-star Amanda Abbington was over in December.

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