A number of possible reasons are being debated about why Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston split up. The golden couple admired by the whole world reportedly split after Brad Pitt gave Jennifer Aniston an ultimatum to have children this year. Friends of the couple say Brad, 41, is desperate to be a dad and told Jennifer, 35, he couldn't wait any longer, reports The Sun.

People magazine agrees, saying they are breaking up after 4½ years because Pitt wanted to start a family now, but Aniston wanted to keep up her movie career and also didn't want to get pregnant until she was sure her marriage would last.

Angelina Jolie, Pitt’s co-star in Mr And Mrs Smith, apparently heightened his longing for kids.

Jolie reportedly took son Maddox, three, to the film set every day - and Brad spent all his spare time playing with the child.

Jennifer Aniston became one of America's most recognisable stars for her role in the television sitcom Friends, which finally went off air in 2004 after a 10-year run. She has several movie projects in the works.

Previous romantic affairs of Brad Pitt included Gwyneth Paltrow with whom he was engaged in November 1996 and separated in June 1997; a model Jitka Pohlodek whom Brad Pitt dated in 1993, plus periods of dating actresses Juliette Lewis, Jill Schoelen, and Robin Givens. 

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