The Sunday Times says the couple have already signed legal papers to pave the way for a separation involving £205 million, as well as joint custody of their six children.

Rumours have been circulating for months, if not years, that all has not been well in the Brangelina camp. Pitt and Jolie will keep all the money they have earned, which Forbes estimates at more than US$100 million each.

Pitt, 46, will have full access to their three biological children, Shiloh and the twins Knox and Vivienne, as well as three adopted children, Maddox, from Cambodia, Zahara, from Ethiopia, and Pax, from Vietnam. All have the surname Jolie-Pitt.

Last week, National Enquirer magazine carried a story that Pitt and Jolie had a final explosive row at a New York restaurant called the Alto on January 6.

It claimed that Pitt staged the six-hour dinner as an intervention to persuade Jolie, 34, to get psychiatric help.

It alleged that she had suffered depression since the death of her mother from ovarian cancer three years ago, since when Jolie’s weight has dropped dramatically. It also claimed she had made a suicide attempt.

The magazine said that after that stormy night, the couple agreed their relationship was over and “their focus is now on making a smooth transition for their children.”

The pair were significantly absent at the Golden Globes last week, despite Brad’s film Inglourious Basterds being up for an award. He was also spotted out solo on Friday at the Hope For Haiti Now earthquake relief fund-raising event.  

*The Hollywood golden couple fell for each other on the set of Mr and Mrs Smith in 2004, though Angelina denied breaking up Brad’s marriage to Friends star Jennifer Aniston.