Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux have officially separated 

And another Hollywood golden couple bites the dust.

The past 12 months have seen an unprecedented amount of shock celebrity splits, from Anna Faris and Chris Pratt to Olivia Munn and Aaron Rodgers.

Just yesterday, Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux added their names to the list, confirming their split.

‘We have decided to announce our separation,’ the couple announced in a joint statement. ‘This decision was mutual and lovingly made at the end of last year.’

The statement continued: 'In an effort to reduce any further speculation, we have decided to announce our separation. We are two best friends who have decided to part ways as a couple, but look forward to continuing our cherished friendship. Normally we would do this privately, but given that the gossip industry cannot resist an opportunity to speculate and invent, we wanted to convey the truth directly.'

Fans have been expressing their surprise by the announcement, with the couple being notoriously private, marrying two and a half years ago in a secret ceremony in their LA home. But considering Jen’s past experience with gossip culture, it’s hardly surprising that the couple wants to keep the speculation to a minimum.

‘My marital status has been shamed, my divorce status was shamed, my lack of a mate had been shamed, my nipples have been shamed,’ the 49-year actress explained a recent interview with Marie Claire US. 'It's like, why are we only looking at women through this particular lens of picking us apart? Why are we listening to it? I just thought: "I have worked too hard in this life and this career to be whittled down to a sad, childless human."'

We’re sending our thoughts to both Jen and Justin.