Madonna and Ritchie announce divorce

LONDON, Oct. 15 (UPI) -- Publicists for U.S. pop star Madonna and British filmmaker Guy Ritchie have confirmed the couple plan to divorce, the BBC reported.

The Sun reported Wednesday morning a statement confirming the celebrities are ending their marriage had been prepared and was to be issued "imminently."

The newspaper said the couple decided to announce their breakup because they "can't bear to live with the pretense any longer."

Ritchie has been on the promotion trail for his new movie "RockNRolla" and is getting ready to shoot "Sherlock Holmes." His wife has been on tour supporting her latest CD "Hard Candy" and doing publicity for her own movie, "Filth and Wisdom."

"Madonna and Guy Ritchie have agreed to divorce after 7 1/2 years of marriage, their representatives confirmed today," said the statement issued to the BBC later Wednesday. "They have both requested that the media maintain respect for their family at this difficult time. A final settlement has not been agreed upon yet."

"It's very sad. They were a great couple and brilliant parents. They just couldn't live together any more," a source told The Sun. "Despite huge attempts to patch things up they both knew deep down that divorce was on the cards. It wasn't a matter of 'if' but 'when.' They tried hard over the last few months but their fighting was getting out of control."

The Sun report said Ritchie plans to move out of the London home he shared with Madonna this week because his soon-to-be ex-wife owns it.