The celebrity pair, who married in 2003, issued the announcement in a statement following months of rumours about their marriage.

The couple, who are parents to Apple, nine, and seven-year-old Moses, looked close at this year’s Golden Globes Awards in Los Angeles in January and a few weeks earlier, the couple holidayed together with their children in Hawaii.

But in February, stories started to emerge that Paltrow was romantically linked to entertainment lawyer Kevin Yorn but those reports were totally refuted by Paltrow.

Paltrow and Martin say they will continue to "coparent" their two children - nine year old Apple, and Moses who's seven.

In a statement on her website, Goop, the couple described it as a "conscious uncoupling":

Conscious Uncoupling

It is with hearts full of sadness that we have decided to separate. We have been working hard for well over a year, some of it together, some of it separated, to see what might have been possible between us, and we have come to the conclusion that while we love each other very much we will remain separate.

We are, however, and always will be a family, and in many ways we are closer than we have ever been.

We are parents first and foremost, to two incredibly wonderful children and we ask for their and our space and privacy to be respected at this difficult time.

We have always conducted our relationship privately, and we hope that as we consciously uncouple and coparent, we will be able to continue in the same manner.

Love,
Gwyneth & Chris

Showbiz journalist Debbie Emery says that unusual wording must have come from Gwyneth: