Pals: Real-life 'Gossip' couple broke up

NEW YORK, April 9 (UPI) -- British actor Ed Westwick has broken up with his girlfriend and "Gossip Girl" co-star Jessica Szohr, friends say.

The couple had been dating since 2008, but Westwick broke up with Szohr by phone after she was spotted flirting with one of the actor's best friends, Marco Minuto, while Westwick was in Europe filming "The Chalet Girl," the New York Post said.

"Jessica recently celebrated her birthday in Los Angeles and was being openly affectionate and flirty with Marco," an unnamed insider told the Post. "They ended up back at the same hotel, but nobody knows what happened behind closed doors.

"Her flirty behavior shocked a lot of their friends, so word quickly got back to Ed, who has been filming in Europe. He immediately ended their relationship on the phone, and Jessica, who denied anything happened with Marco, was so distraught that she flew to London last Friday with just the clothes on her back. She's been begging Ed to take her back, but he is deeply hurt. He can't believe that she carried on this way with one of his friends."

Representatives for Westwick and Szohr have denied the story, the newspaper said.