10 Shocking Celebrity Break-ups in 2016

From the longest to the shortest relationship life span, these celebrities left us in awe with the news of their break-up, writes Vanessa Obioha

They are young, old, actors and musicians. They are all celebrities. Due to their propensity to influence opinions, their relationship status is constantly observed by the media and the public who are not always generous with their compliments.

For this category of persons, the battle to keep the media at bay has spurned such pastime or vocation as paparazzi. Their separation of ways always thunders home with a bang-hugging headlines and trending in mainstream and online media.

The causes of these break-ups vary. From cheating to abuse, celebrities have a reason to walk out of the door on the guilty spouse. However, there are some affairs that exude the make-believe happily-ever-after story, while others are like a ticking time bomb that the public can’t wait for its explosion.

As 2016, enters the home stretch, quite a few famous couples who began the year glued together like stamp and letter, have come unstuck, barely able to stand each other, leaving the public numbed with their split.

1. ANGELINA JOLIE AND BRAD PITT: A HAPPILY NEVER-AFTER AFFAIR
Fans are yet to recover from the shocking separation of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt recently whom they fondly nicknamed Brangelina. Their love story started on the set of Mr. and Mrs. Smith in 2004 where they played a couple who became rival assassins. Pitt at the time was married to actress Jennifer Aniston. By the time the movie hit theatres in 2005, it was alleged that Pitt divorced Aniston to be with Jolie.

Not until in 2014 did Jolie and Pitt finally legalise their marriage in a private ceremony in France. Together they had six children, out of which three are their biological children in their 12 years of marriage.
Jolie in her divorce suit cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for the break-up, while Pitt who expressed surprise was questioned about child abuse allegation shortly by the Los Angeles Police Department.

2. TAYLOR SWIFT AND CALVIN HARRIS/TOM HIDDLESTON: PRIDE AND CONFUSION
The Wildest Dream singer gave her fans a series of shock with her latest love life saga. First it was her break up in June with music producer Calvin Harris (real names Adam Wiles) whom she dated for 15 months. What followed next was a breach of secrecy over Harris’ smash hit ‘This is What You Came For.’

Harris in a series of venomous tweets accused his ex for breaching their secrecy code by revealing to the public she co-wrote the song. Expectedly, public opinions were divided and camps of solidarity were pitched between the two singers.
But things utterly went south when few days after her break-up, Swift was seen hanging out with actor Tom Hiddleston. Quite a few believed it was a publicity stunt but it turned to be real. However, the romance fizzled out with the same alacrity it started. Swift and Hiddleston went separate ways after three months of whirlwind romance.

3. JOHNNY DEPP AND AMBER HEARD: LOVE IS BLIND
Domestic violence was at the core of this celebrity break-up. Amber Heard in May filed a divorce from the actor Johnny Depp after a year in marriage. They had met during the filming of ‘The Rum Diary’ in 2011 and married in a lavish ceremony in 2015. The divorce came three days after Depp lost his mother.

The divorce took an interesting turn when Heard filed for a domestic abuse restraining order accompanied with pictures of her bruised face. Although Depp got moral support from Lily his daughter with his ex, Vanessa Paradis, it did little to calm Heard who didn’t sign a prenuptial agreement with Depp. After months of allegations and stalling, the couple reached a settlement of $7 million which Heard donated to a charity.

4. OZZY AND SHARON OSBOURNE: TOO MUCH TESTOSTERONE
After nearly 34 years of marriage, rock star Ozzy kissed his wife Sharon goodbye. With four years difference in age, the Osbournes have been onscreen delight right from Ozzy’s days as a member of the band ‘Black Sabbath. Sharon soon became his manager. They had a beautiful wedding on July 4, 1982 and had three children: Aimee, Kelly and Jack. The family except for Aimee had their reality TV show on MTV in 2002. The show was a hit but only lasted for three years.

Ozzy had in the past struggled with alcohol and drugs but his divorce from Sharon had nothing to do with his addiction. It seemed rather that Ozzy had a sex addiction. Although, the metal-rock singer is trying to patch up with his ‘The Talk’ co-host wife, the green light is still blurred.

5. JUSTIN BIEBER AND SOFIA RICHIE: NOT YET READY
Is it too late for Justin Bieber to learn how to be in a relationship again or is it just distraction? The Canadian singer is yet to embrace a relationship as he is now officially single. At first, it seemed Sofia Richie, daughter of legendary singer Lionel Richie had the Midas touch. But not for too long. After a blissful summer holiday in Mexico, the couple ended their six-weeks relationship.

6. IGGY AZALEA AND NICK YOUNG: A SAD TALE OF KISS AND TELL
Their split was rooted in infidelity. Nick Young in a careless chatter with his Lakers teammate, D’Angelo Russell, revealed that he had affairs with other women other than his engaged girlfriend, rapper Iggy Azalea. Unknown to him, his trusted friend was taping his confession. Russell posted the video on YouTube in March and it went viral.

The media painted the scandal in different shades. All the while, Azalea maintained a calm disposition. Her veneer finally cracked when she called off her engagement to the NBA pro in June. The split came on the heels of the speculated news that Young impregnated his ex-girlfriend Keonna Greene.