The reason behind Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston's separation remains unclear, with at least three different theories for the split being put forward - two of which involve Angelina Jolie. Pitt publicist Cindy Guagenti issued a statement on behalf of the couple on Friday, in which it was announced they have officially separated after four and a half years of marriage. The most common reason being given for the split is that the couple argued over whether or not to have children. Pitt, 41, is reportedly keen to become a father while former Friends star Aniston is said to want to concentrate on her movie career. Another theory is that Aniston, 34, heard Pitt and his Mr. & Mrs. Smith co-star Jolie engaging in 'phone sex'. A source tells British newspaper the News Of The World, "(Brad and Angelina) would speak on the phone all the time - always speaking in hushed tones. There was no hiding their affection for each other. Jennifer listened in on the conversation via another extension. I don't know if she accidentally picked up the phone or deliberately did that. Either way, she went ballistic." And, in a further explanation involving sexy Tomb Raider star Jolie, UK tabloid the Daily Star Sunday writes that the marriage finally collapsed because Pitt adores playing father to Jolie's adopted son, Maddox. An insider tells the publication, "Jen became furious when he pointed out that, at 29, Angelina is six years younger than her and is managing to combine motherhood and a successful career."

Hollywood actor Paul Newman has escaped serious injury after a sports car he was testing caught fire at Florida's Daytona Beach racetrack. The 79-year-old Oscar-winning star fled the vehicle after flames appeared from the engine compartment following his attempt to restart after spinning on a turn. Racing car enthusiast Newman says, "I don't know what happened. I'm fine. It just caught fire somehow." Organizers of The Grand American Road Racing Association commented, "Newman made his way out of the car, was taken to the track's infield medical centre for precautionary measures and was released."

Jude Law's ex-wife Sadie Frost is reportedly fuming at being told of his engagement to Sienna Miller through their eight-year-old son. The Alfie actor apparently informed Rafferty of his forthcoming nuptials to actress Miller - who later relayed the news to his furious mother on Christmas Day despite the former spouses having spent the afternoon together. Frost, who is dating 23-year-old flamenco guitarist Jackson Scott, has since issued a statement declaring how "delighted" she is for her ex-husband and his fiancee. However a source tells British newspaper the Daily Mail, Frost called Law "the f**ker" when she heard of his plans. The source comments, "He spent the afternoon with the family and could have taken Sadie aside at any time to tell her that he was engaged, but he didn't. When Sadie spoke to Rafferty that evening, he told her the news. 'Dad's engaged to Sienna,' he said. She and Jude then had a furious row over the phone. She was very sarcastic and said something like, 'Well done, you could not have let me know in a better way than through our child.' After all, Sienna is not just going to be his wife but her children's step-mother. It came as a complete shock to her."

The former girlfriend of Ellen DeGeneres is considering legal action against both the comedienne and her new lover, Ally McBeal actress Portia De Rossi. Chat show host DeGeneres ended her four-year relationship with photographer-director Alexandra Hedison last month and is now sharing her Hollywood mansion with De Rossi, who recently split up with Ringo Starr's step-daughter Francesca Gregorini. Hedison is now planning to take palimony action against DeGeneres, and is reportedly suing De Rossi for "alienation of affection" - a legal phrase dating back to when seducing a spouse was regarded as theft. However, Richard Barry from the American Academy Of Matrimonial Lawyers tells British newspaper The Sunday Times this could be difficult to prove: "She would have to prove the seduction took place in those states which still recognize the law, like on holiday in Hawaii. If she can do that, she could cause a lot of financial damage."

Martial arts superstar Jet Li has spoken of his terror, running from the Indian Ocean tidal wave last month. The Hero actor was holidaying in the Maldives with his family, when the tsunami hit the coast line and caused widespread death and destruction to the surrounding countries. At a celebrity fundraiser concert in Hong Kong on Friday, Li told the audience, "The waves came really quickly and formed swirls. I carried my daughters and pulled my maid and ran. I'd only walked three steps when I realized that the water had already come up to my waist. When I looked back, everything I saw minutes ago was gone. Everything was surrounded by the ocean. The houses collapsed. I continued to run but the water was already up to my mouth." Li and his family managed to find lifejackets in their hotel as they waited for a second round of bigger waves to hit the island. Li has donated $158,000 to the tsunami relief fund and marks the tragic event as a defining moment in his life. He adds, "Some things I dared not do in the past, I am ready to do them now."

Ailing Czech supermodel Petra Nemcova has returned home to Prague after spending two weeks in a Thai hospital recovering from injuries sustained in last month's tsunami. Local news agency Ctk reported the Victoria's Secret beauty, 25, arrived in the Czech capital on Saturday and is currently resting in hospital. Nemcova's spokesman Rob Shuter says his client's main injury is a broken pelvis. Nemcova was holidaying with her photographer boyfriend Simon Atlee, 33, in the Thai island resort of Phuket when the tidal wave destroyed their beach hut. The beauty was rescued after reportedly spending eight hours clinging to a palm tree. Atlee is still missing.

Lawyers for Michael Jackson are asking a judge to deny a prosecution request to present evidence of alleged past sexual offenses during the singer's upcoming child molestation trial. Superior Court judge Rodney Melville will hear arguments on the issue in Santa Maria, California, on Wednesday. Jackson's lawyer, Robert Sanger, says in court documents, "This is the same 'evidence' that left two separate grand juries so unimpressed with the prosecution's 'case' that they did not return indictments." In a motion released last month, prosecutors argued the evidence should be admitted under a 1995 California law that lets relevant previous acts, whether prosecuted or not, be considered in sex crime cases. Jackson's attorneys said only one alleged past victim is scheduled to testify, although prosecutors claim at least seven prior sexual offenses took place. Jackson, 46, has pleaded not guilty to charges of molestation, conspiracy and giving alcohol to his alleged victim at his Neverland Ranch in Santa Barbara County. In a separate motion, Jackson's lawyers also asked the judge to bar the public from all remaining pretrial hearings on what evidence will be allowed at the trial, which is scheduled to begin on January 31.

Pop teen Aaron Carter credits the quick thinking of his model girlfriend Monique Decormier for saving his life, following his near-fatal car accident. The singer watched in horror late Wednesday night as a mattress flew off the roof of a truck he was driving behind on the Florida Turnpike and wedged itself under his Cadillac Escalade. The mattress burst into flames, setting fire to Carter's vehicle. He says, "I pulled over, I got out and I looked under my car and I was like, 'Oh no, it's on fire.' I had a couple bottles (of water) in my car and I went under (the vehicle) and I started trying to put 'em out. My girlfriend came and she pulled me away." Within seconds, the vehicle went up in flames. He adds, "The crazy thing was is when she pulled me away, it lit from underneath, all around the side of the car. The way I could've reacted and the way I did probably saved my life." Carter, who was driving to Orlando for a photo shoot at the time of the accident, reveals it's not his first near-death experience - he almost drowned in the family swimming pool as a child.

Hollywood hunk Ben Affleck has further fueled speculation he plans to settle down with girlfriend Jennifer Garner, after buying a family-sized home in California. Affleck, who embarked on a romance with his Daredevil co-star Jennifer Garner months after splitting from his Gigli co-star Jennifer Lopez, has purchased a five-bedroom, five-bathroom home in the upscale Los Angeles neighborhood of Brentwood for more than $4.6 million. The home, which sits on an acre of rolling lawns and gardens, boasts marble floors and an ocean view from the master quarters. Affleck and Garner have recently been plagued with reports that they're expecting a child together.

Actor Taye Diggs' wife Idina Menzel is nursing a cracked rib, after falling though a trap door during the Saturday matinee of her Broadway musical Wicked. The show, a prequel to The Wizard Of Oz, was halted for about 45 minutes while Menzel's understudy, Shoshana Bean, prepared to go on as the green-skinned Elphaba, according to Bob Fennell, a spokesman for the musical. Bean also played the Saturday evening performance and took over duties for yesterday's matinee, which was to have been Menzel's last performance after a more than 16-month run in the show. The accident occurred near the end of the performance at the Gershwin Theatre, during what's known as "the melting sequence" where a trap door opens. An elevator that was to have lowered Menzel had already descended about two or three feet, according to the spokesman, causing the actress to fall and hurt her side Menzel, who won the 2004 actress-musical Tony Award for her performance in Wicked, shortly begins filming the movie version of Rent, which she originally starred in on Broadway alongside her husband Diggs.