In all of its iterations - from lust, to the whole life-affirming shebang - love has been under attack of late. Last year, golden couple, Anna Faris and Chris Pratt, called time on their 10 year relationship. And it seems to have provoked a veritable domino effect, with Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez purportedly going on a "break" in December - and now, as we all know - Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan have called it quits after nine years of marriage.
Yes, love has officially been rendered terminal, folks.
Dewan, who has four-year-old daughter Everly with Tatum, has finally broken her silence on the matter - addressing speculation that the Magic Mike actor's drinking and flirting was the cause of the split.
Despite Dewan and Tatum assuring fans on Monday evening that there were "no secrets nor salacious events" that caused their separation, the tabloid rumour mill has naturally gone into overdrive.
Since their Instagram announcement, it has been speculated that Tatum's drinking may have come between the pair. Back in 2015, in an interview with Star magazine, the actor confessed: "I probably drink too much." He added, "My wife, that's what she bought into."
Now, it looks like that assertion has come back to haunt Tatum, as various publications are using it to explain the pair's separation. The same news source also alleged that the 37-year-old had been "flirting" with various women while on the set of 2014's Foxcatcher.
Dewan's representative, however, has since responded to such claims. Defending her estranged husband, the actress's spokesperson stated that she was "Happy to clarify that absolutely none of these rumours are true."
"The reason our statement was so positive [was] because that's the reality of the situation," the statement continued.
Dewan and Tatum, who met while filming 2006's Step Up, released a joint statement on Monday announcing their separation. "Hey world! So…We have something we would like to share," they began.
"First off, it feels odd that we have to share this kind of thing with everyone, but it’s a consequence of the lives we’ve chosen to lead, which we also happen to be deeply grateful for. We’re living in an incredible moment in time, but it’s also a time where truth can easily get distorted into 'alternative facts' So we want to share the truth so you know that if you didn’t read it here then it’s most certainly fiction.
"We have lovingly chosen to separate as a couple. We fell deeply in love so many years ago and have had a magical journey together. Absolutely nothing has changed about how much we love one another, but love is a beautiful adventure that is taking us on different paths for now. There are no secrets nor salacious events at the root of our decision — just two best-friends realizing it’s time to take some space and help each other live the most joyous, fulfilled lives as possible. We are still a family and will always be loving dedicated parents to Everly. We won’t be commenting beyond this, and we thank you all in advance for respecting our family’s privacy. Sending lots of love to everyone."
Well, there you have it. Anything for a bit of gossip, eh?