THE fairytale marriage between Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston seems to be headed for an unhappy ending.
The Hollywood couple are said to be battling to save their relationship amid reports Pitt's friendship with co-star Angelina Jolie has put a strain on the marriage.
Friends star Aniston, 35, was in London this week working on her latest film, Derailed, while her husband was 8000km away in Los Angeles, promoting his latest project, Oceans Twelve.
Insiders say Pitt's desire to start a family and his wife's reluctance to give up her career have created intolerable pressures.
She wants to start a family, but she also knows she needs to make movies while her career is hot.
Sad. They are a great couple. I thought they would be a long-lasting HOllywood couple. But I thought the same about Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman and that went arse up.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! It can't be!!! Not my Bradley. I don't want him and Jennifer to break up! I hope that it's just Hollywood gossip... and that we will find that it's all wonderful in the Pitt household.
:::>^..^<::: ~*~The Journey is more important than the end or the start~*~ :::>^..^<:::
I didn't think this marriage was going to work anyway...another hollywood couple bites the dust....next up: JLO and Marc Anthony (ooo there's a shocker!)
Marriage problems: Aniston spotted without wedding ring
They had, it was thought, the perfect Hollywood marriage - an ideal union of beautiful sitcom star and movie heartthrob.
But four years after marrying Brad Pitt, Jennifer Aniston appears to have dispensed with her wedding ring. The 35-year-old Friends actress was spotted in Los Angeles on Sunday without her diamond-studded white gold band as she prepared to do some last-minute Christmas shopping.
Reports that the couple's marriage was under strain have been rife in recent months.
Rumours that all was not well first surfaced in May when Pitt was seen holding hands with actress Angelina Jolie on the set of forthcoming movie Mr and Mrs Smith.
Despite vehement denials by everyone involved that the couple had grown close, speculation grew that a split would be announced at this year's Cannes Film Festival, where Pitt was promoting Troy and Miss Jolie was promoting Shark Tale.
But Miss Aniston decided at the last minute to accompany her husband to the Riviera and pictures of the couple cuddling on the red carpet put a temporary end to the rumours.
London visit
Miss Aniston has spent the last two weeks in London, filming the movie Derailed with British actor Clive Owen, and she and Pitt were due to spend last weekend together after he flew in to the capital to promote his forthcoming movie Ocean's Twelve. Miss Aniston had made plans to visit Camden market and Harvey Nichols. She had also organised a 41st birthday party for Pitt on Saturday at the Penthouse nightclub.
But on Friday afternoon - just over 24 hours after arriving in the UK - Pitt flew home alone in a private jet from Luton Airport while his wife returned to Los Angeles from Heathrow hours later.
Friends of the actor say Pitt flew back to the U.S. to attend the funeral of a close friend of Miss Aniston, who was unable to accompany him due to filming commitments.
A source close to the couple said: "Jennifer was over in London shooting her new movie and Brad was also meant to be in the capital for a junket to promote Ocean's Twelve.
"Their time in the UK overlapped by a few days and Jennifer put off doing a lot of things she wanted to do so she could visit them with her husband - she was particularly keen to go to Camden market and shopping in Knightsbridge.
"In the end, though, she did none of these things as Brad was barely in the UK for 24 hours. He flew in on Thursday and left again the next day."
A Press conference to promote Ocean's Twelve, hosted by Pitt, was abruptly cancelled last Thursday when fire broke out in the kitchen of the venue, Claridges Hotel.
That night, the couple had planned to dine at Jamie Oliver's restaurant Fifteen with Ocean's Twelve co-star Matt Damon and his girlfriend Luciana Barroso. Instead, they spent the night holed up in their suite at the Dorchester Hotel.
Baby conflict
Friends of both have hinted that discussions over starting a family have led to conflict. Miss Aniston is believed to have wanted to put off becoming pregnant until Friends came to an end. But the show completed filming at the start of the year and since then she has embarked on three movies.
Earlier this month, Pitt almost broke down in tears on an American TV show when he talked of having children. "I'm going to say it - kids, family, I am thinking family," he told interviewer Diane Sawyer.
"Yes, I have got family on the mind. Jen and I have been working something out. Little girls, they just crush me - they break my heart."
- Daily Mail
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THE PITTS HIT OUT AT MARRIAGE RIFT RUMORS
Hollywood couple Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt have lashed out at reports their four-year marriage is in trouble, after the actress was spotted without her wedding ring.
The former "Friends" beauty was photographed at Los Angeles' LAX airport earlier this week without the finger adornment, leading to speculation the pair are having problems. She had been wearing her wedding ring when she left London's Dorchester Hotel -- where the couple had been staying during Pitt's promotional tour for movie "Ocean's Twelve" -- but removed it when she landed in L.A. on Sunday.
Rumors the relationship is deteriorating were first sparked during filming of "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" this summer when Pitt was romantically linked to his co-star Angelina Jolie.
Aniston added to the gossip by canceling the "Troy" hunk's 41st birthday party she'd agreed to host, weeks after reports she refused to have his first child.
But Aniston's representative Stephen Huvane says, "Everything is fine with Jennifer and Brad. They are together now and will be enjoying the holidays together."
Actress Jennifer Aniston allegedly added to speculations her four-year marriage to Brad Pitt is in trouble -- by spending a staggering $1,900 on sex toys last Wednesday.
Rumors the relationship is deteriorating were first sparked during filming of "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" this summer when Pitt was romantically linked to his co-star Angelina Jolie.
And the ex-"Friends" actress has now been spotted buying erotic items in London's exclusive lingerie shop Myra, suggesting attempts to spice up their love-life, reports British newspaper The Sun.
That's ridiculous, she goes to a sex shop and they automatically assume she is replacing Brad with a handheld? Ludicris. She could've been shopping for a friend for a Hen's night or something. It could've been anything. The media just pull this stuff out of their arses sometimes.