Most Shocking Celebrity Breakups Of 2018

Hollywood relationships are always thought of as being fast and fleeting, and while many fans see some celebrity breakups coming from a mile away, there are others that weren’t predicted at all. Looking back on the year, 2018 was particularly rough when it comes to Hollywood love. From stable couples to marriages of many years, many celebrities suffered heartbreak in 2018 and many fans were heartbroken along with them because it was just so surprising. Here are the most shocking celebrity breakups of 2018:

24. Alicia Silverstone and Christopher Jarecki

Following her massive ’90s fame in films like Clueless, Batman & Robin and Blast from the Past, Alicia Silverstone has stepped away from the spotlight in recent years to focus on her family, but 2018 proved to be a year of heartbreak for the actress. After separating in February of 2018, Silverstone filed for divorce from her husband of nearly 13 years, Christopher Jarecki, in May. Following the filing, Silverstone said “everything was good” between the former couple and they were focusing on raising their son Bear Blu.

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23. Hank Baskett and Kendra Wilkinson

When it comes to Hank Baskett and Kendra Wilkinson’s split, it wasn’t so much shocking because it happened, it was just shocking when it happened. As fans will remember the reality star and the former NFL player have been through a lot of drama, and despite a very public and intense cheating scandal on Baskett’s part, the two stuck together and seemingly worked it out. Then, in early April, Wilkinson suddenly filed for divorce from Baskett and listed their separation date as January 1, 2018. “Today is the last day of my marriage to this beautiful man. I will forever love Hank and be open but for now we have chosen to go our own ways,” she captioned a photo of herself and Baskett. “I’m beyond sad and heartbroken because I did believe in forever, that’s why I said yes but unfortunately too much fear has gotten in the way. We are both amazing parents and our kids will be happy n never know the difference other than seeing mama smile.”

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22. Jack and Lisa Osbourne

After receiving his own stardom thanks to his famous parents Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne, Jack Osbourne retreated from the spotlight to become a family man. Jack Osbourne married Lisa Stelly in October, 2012 and together the pair welcomed daughter Pearl in 2012, daughter Any Rose in 2013, and third daughter Minnie in February 2018. Suddenly, in May 2018 only three months after the birth of their third daughter, the couple announced their separation which surprised everyone. Shortly afterward reports surfaced that Lisa was already dating someone new and Jack had gotten into a physical altercation with the man. Although the pair never revealed what caused their split so soon after the birth of their third child, they have moved forward amicably with their divorce proceedings and have stayed committed to co-parenting their three daughters.

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21. John Cena and Nikki Bella

The spring of 2018 was dominated by the romantic saga between actor/wrestler John Cena and wrestler Nikki Bella. The pair shocked everyone when they called off their wedding and seemingly split in mid-April only a few weeks before their wedding which was planned to happen on May 5 in Mexico. Before long, it was confirmed the pair were back together and “working on things” and many accused them of staging the whole split for ratings on Nikki Bella and her sister’s show Total Bellas. The drama continued however, when the pair split for good shortly after their reconciliation and officially ended their six year relationship. “After I called off the engagement, we tried to work on our relationship to get back to where it was, and in order to move forward with our wedding. After much time and soul-searching alone and together, we have decided to officially part ways,” Bella said in a statement in July 2018.

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20. Holly Madison and Pasquale Rotella

Holly Madison’s dramatic and whirlwind life as a Playboy Model and then as one of Hugh Hefner’s girlfriends, which was featured on the reality show Girls Next Door, slowed right down when she began dating Pasquale Rotella in 2011. The two welcomed their first child in 2013 and were married later that year and welcomed their second child, but after five years of a low-key life and marriage, the two suddenly split in September 2018.

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19. Jenni “JWoww” Farley and Roger Mathews

In terms of reality TV relationships, Jenni “JWoww” Farley and Roger Mathews from Jersey Shore truly seemed to be in it for the long haul. While many had doubts about the pair in the beginning, after they welcomed two children they looked like the picture perfect family, and there were no hints that anything was wrong in the relationship before Farley filed for divorce in September. Farley cited irreconcilable differences while Mathews declared he wasn’t going to give up on his marriage that easily and “vowed” to win his wife back.

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18. Larry and Theresa Caputo

For years, Long Island Medium stars Larry and Theresa Caputo were one of the most beloved couples on reality television, and absolutely no one saw their split coming. The two split after 28 years of marriage when Theresa filed for divorce in April. “After 28 years of marriage, we have decided to legally separate,” they said at the time. “We will always love each other and our two wonderful children. We are united in supporting each other and our family. Please respect our privacy during this time.” The two share two adult children together, and many were devastated by the surprising split, especially after it was revealed that Larry had moved to L.A. and was already dating someone new only a few months later.

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17. Ariana Grande and Mac Miller

Ariana Grande and Mac Miller were one of the music industry’s most powerful couples after they went public with their relationship in September 2016. Although they were still in their early 20’s, their relationship seemed very stable and mature and many thought the pair were on the road to an engagement before they suddenly split in May after two years together. The two cited their busy schedules as a reason for the breakup, but remained close friends until Miller’s sudden and unexpected death in September 2018.

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16. Kaitlyn Bristowe and Shawn Booth

Although fans don’t expect Bachelor or Bachelorette couples to make it, there are a few that have defied the reality TV odds, and that seemed to include Kaitlyn Bristowe and Shawn Booth. The pair became engaged at the end of The Bachelorette‘s eleventh season in 2015, and while they didn’t immediately jump into wedding planning they seemed like a solid couple. After denying many rumors that they had split, the two then turned around and announced in the fall of 2018 that they had in fact broken up. “After three incredible years, we have decided to go our separate ways. This difficult decision comes after thoughtful, respectful consideration. Even though we are parting as a couple, we’re very much committed to remaining friends and we will continue to support each other,” they said in a statement.

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15. Julie Bowen and Scott Philips

Modern Family star Julie Bowen’s real-life family situation changed when it was reported in early February that she and her husband of 13 years, Scott Philips, had split. The pair share three sons: 10-year-old Oliver and 8-year-old twins John and Gustav. Looking back, many saw signs of trouble in their relationship when it was noticed that the last time they had walked a red carpet together was in September 2016 for the Los Angeles LGBT Center’s 47th Anniversary Gala Vanguard Awards.

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14. Ariana Grande and Pete Davidson

In a lot of ways Ariana Grande and Pete Davidson’s split wasn’t especially shocking, but in some ways it was. The singer and the Saturday Night Live comedian began dating only weeks after Grande’s relationship with Mac Miller had come to an end, and then only a few weeks later they confirmed they were engaged. The pair constantly made the headlines, moved in together, got several matching tattoos, and even got pets together before they abruptly called their engagement and relationship off — and the whole whirlwind relationship had only lasted four months! While many didn’t think it would last, they made many moves that seemed to show commitment and continuously gushed about each other and their love in the media before it all suddenly came to a screeching halt.

(Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

13. Anderson Cooper and Benjamin Maisani

Despite Anderson Cooper’s stardom, he was able to keep his relationship with boyfriend Benjamin Maisani largely out of the spotlight for years,and with no signs of trouble, no one expected the pair to break up. It was shocking then when Cooper confirmed that he and Maisani had split in March 2018 after eight years together. “Benjamin and I separated as boyfriends some time ago. We are still family to each other, and love each other very much,” Cooper told PEOPLE in a statement, adding that “we remain the best of friends, and will continue to share much of our lives together.”

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12. Brooke Burke and David Charvet

Brooke Burke and David Charvet seemed like the perfect couple before they blindsided fans with news of their split in April. The pair had been married for six years and shared daughter Heaven Rain and son Shaya Braven, before Burke filed for divorce citing irreconcilable differences. Despite the shocking split, things seemed to be amicable between the two.

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11. Cheryl Cole and Liam Payne

Former One Direction singer Liam Payne and Cheryl Cole from UK’s The X Factor surprised everyone with their relationship because of their 11-year age difference, but even more surprising was when a year into their romance, they welcomed a son together, Bear. Although they seemed committed to their life as a family, on July 1, 2018 they revealed that they had decided to split. “Cheryl and I are sad to announce that we are going our separate ways,” wrote Payne. “It’s been a tough decision for us to make. We still have so much love for each other as a family. Bear is our world and we ask that you respect his privacy as we navigate our way through this together.”

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10. Rebecca Gayheart and Eric Dane

Rebecca Gayheart and Eric Dane were one of Hollywood’s most stunning couples for 14 years, but that wasn’t enough to keep them together! The gorgeous actress and the former Grey’s Anatomy actor shocked many when they revealed they had split after 15 years together, 14 of which they were married. “We have decided that ending our marriage is the best decision for our family,” the couple said in a joint statement. “We will continue our friendship and work as a team to co-parent our two beautiful girls as they are the most important thing in the world to us.” The pair asked for joint legal and physical custody of their two daughters Billie and Georgia.

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9. Lena Dunham and Jack Antonoff

Girls actress Lena Dunham and singer-songwriter Jack Antonoff were one of the most loved-up couples out there before they abruptly ended their relationship. Dunham often gushed about her five-year relationship with Antonoff and many thought the pair were on their way to an engagement, including Dunham herself, who revealed on Twitter she thought Antonoff was planning a proposal. Only two months after her mistaken proposal, the pair split in January.

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8. Jennie Garth and Dave Abrams

Following Jennie Garth’s sudden split from husband and actor Peter Facinelli in 2013, the Beverly Hills, 90210 actress found love again with actor David Abrams in the fall of 2014. After an engagement in April 2015, the pair were wed in July of that year and while initially public with their relationship, they soon fell out of the spotlight. Then on April 6, 2018 Abrams filed for divorce from Garth and in the court documents revealed that the pair had actually been separated since August 2017, only two years after their wedding.

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7. Colton Haynes and Jeff Leatham

Arrow actor Colton Haynes came out publicly in 2016 before he became romantically linked to Jeff Leatham in early 2017. The pair had a whirlwind relationship and became engaged in March 2017 before they tied the knot in October. In May 2018, there were already rumors that they were having trouble in their relationship and shortly after it was reported they had split only six months after their wedding.

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6. Jillian Michaels and Heidi Rhodes

Fitness guru Jillian Michaels and Heidi Rhodes were seemingly headed down the aisle before they suddenly announced their split in June 2018. Michaels and Rhodes had been together since 2009 and share two children together, daughter Lukensia who was adopted in 2012, and son Phoenix whom Rhodes gave birth to also in 2012. Michaels proposed to Rhodes in 2016 and as many asked wedding questions, they instead revealed that had split and had actually been broken up for a while. “You’ve been with me through it all so I’m sharing some news with you…Heidi and I have been split for awhile now,” Michaels wrote on Instagram. “We’ve found we’re better friends and parents living apart than staying together.”

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5. Nia Vardalos and Ian Gomez

My Big Fat Greek Wedding actress Nia Vardalos and Cougar Town actor Ian Gomez led a very quiet married life to the point many fans didn’t even know they were together, but that is what made their split even more shocking. Vardalos filed for divorce from Gomez in July after an incredible 24 years of marriage! “We’ve been respectfully separated for a lengthy period of time. Our relationship became a friendship so the decision to end the marriage is completely mutual and amicable. It is our hope that decency will prevail on the reporting of this story which will soon be yesterday’s news. Thank you for respecting our privacy,” the pair said in a joint statement about their split.

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4. Zac and Shelly Brown

Country music relationships often seem much more stable than a lot of others in the entertainment industry, but even they can surprise fans sometimes. In October 2018, Zac Brown Band lead singer Zac Brown announced that he and his wife of 12 years Shelly Brown were calling it quits. “We feel blessed to be on such an incredible journey in life and sometimes the journey begins to lead in different directions. It is with deep love and respect that we announce we are separating as a couple. We have led a whirlwind life together growing into a beautiful family with five amazing children and while life will be rearranging a bit, our love and commitment to our family will always be there,” they said in a statement. The pair share five children together.

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3. Jonathan Scott and Jacinta Kuznetsov

Fans have been interested in the love lives of Property Brothers stars Drew and Jonathan Scott for quite some time and while 2018 marked Drew Scott’s wedding to Linda Phan, all eyes were on when Jonathan Scott was going to make the next move with his girlfriend Jacinta. Normally private with his personal life, fans knew things were very serious between Jonathan and Jacinta when they appeared in PEOPLE alongside Linda and Drew in 2017. Just as many were expecting a possible engagement out of the two, they instead announced their surprising split in April 2018. “When I met Jacinta in the fall of 2015, I met somebody kind and courageous and a champion for human/animal rights. We grew to respect each other fiercely and know that will remain unchanged for the rest of our lives. Sometimes life takes you on unexpected paths and those paths aren’t always in the same direction. There’s no drama or negativity; no jealousy or hate. Not even sadness or sorrow. Our memories are filled with joy and we will continue to advocate for each other as friends wherever we go,” Jonathan wrote of their breakup on Instagram.

Jonathan Scott Instagram

2. Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux

Jennifer Aniston’s love life has been the center of attention in Hollywood for decades, and even as her name continued to be linked to ex Brad Pitt, she moved on with actor and screenwriter Justin Theroux in August 2015 and fans were ecstatic to see the star so happy in love again. After endless and persistent rumors about their marriage which they tried to keep out of the spotlight, the two surprisingly announced their split in February after seven years together and two and a half of marriage. “In an effort to reduce any further speculation, we have decided to announce our separation,” Aniston and Theroux’s statement reads. “This decision was mutual and lovingly made at the end of last year. We are two best friends who have decided to part ways as a couple, but look forward to continuing our cherished friendship… we are determined to maintain the deep respect and love that we have for one another.”

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1. Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan

There is no doubt that fans around the world were devastated by the sudden and surprising split of Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan. The two had one of the most romantic Hollywood love stories after they fell in love on the set of the 2006 film Step Up which launched them both into stardom, and were regarded as one of Hollywood’s most popular couples in the years after. On April 2, 2018 the pair announced their separation after nearly nine years of marriage during which they welcomed their daughter Everly. “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,” their joint statement read. “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, Chan&Jenna.”

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Telisa Carter

Telisa Carter

Telisa enjoys learning and writing about all things entertainment in the world of Hollywood. When she isn't catching up on her favorite TV shows, she likes to read, and obsess over all things football.

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