Why the COVID-19 pandemic is killing celebrity romance
From Miley and Cody to Angie and Carlin, a relationship expert reveals why more celebrity couples are breaking up during the coronavirus pandemic.
Confidential
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As the coronavirus pandemic continues to take a toll on the economy, the growing uncertainty is also impacting personal relationships even for the rich and famous.
Last week, fitness influencer Kayla Itsines and her fiancé Tobi Pearce became the latest celebrity couple to call it quits, following the likes of Miley Cyrus and Cody Simpson, Angie Kent and Carlin Sterritt, Laura Dundovic and Quade Cooper and Ali Oetjen and Taite Radley to name a few.
eHarmony relationship expert Sharon Draper told Confidential that the reason why more celebrity couples are breaking up is that the pandemic has shone a light on problems that were already prevalent in their relationships.
“You’re living in one space together and even if you have a beautiful home it really is quite stressful when you have to see the person 24/7,” Draper said.
“You don’t have that same ability to let off steam. That does add a layer of stress and strain and then we end up taking it out on our partners.
“I wouldn’t blame lockdown but I do think it has a part to play in exacerbating or highlighting cracks.”
Itsines’ and Pearce’s split came as a surprise to fans as the couple had been together for eight years, share 1-year-old daughter Arna Leia and run a multimillion-dollar fitness empire together.
They have not revealed the reason behind their split.
Cyrus and Simpson were friends for 10 years and had dated for almost one year before announcing their split earlier this month, putting their break-up down to them being in their 20s and needing to “work on themselves”.
Kent and Sterritt joined the long list of failed Bachelorette couples, including Oetjen and Radley, when they announced their split last month after one year together.
The Dancing With The Stars alum did not share details surrounding the split and at one point claimed it was “no-one’s business” despite finding love on a reality TV show.
Meanwhile Oetjen and Radley lasted two years before throwing in the towel, while model
Dundovic and rugby player Cooper reached five years before parting ways earlier this year.
Draper said even the strongest relationships are being tested right now.
“Even in the most compatible relationship, if you don’t actually have open and honest communication you can have problems and I’m seeing this across the board with all kinds of relationships,” she said.
“Your partner is closest in proximity as well as intimacy so it’s easy to blame your partner for things.
“I’ve heard people say that even the way the person is chewing gets annoying. So I think the pandemic exacerbates and highlights all of our own insecurities because with all the restrictions we feel stuck, we have a loss of control and there’s uncertainty so you feel overwhelmed.
“That does add a layer of stress and strain and then we end up taking it out on our partners. My advice is to make sure you’re sleeping well, exercise whenever you can, drink less alcohol too because that just makes everything worse and communicate with your partner.”
Originally published as Why the COVID-19 pandemic is killing celebrity romance