Dakota Johnson and Chris Martin have reportedly called time on their relationship after nearly eight years together. The Fifty Shades of Grey star, 35, and frontman, 48, had been one of showbiz's most quietly enduring couples, first spotted together in 2017 and engaged for several years. But now, reports claim the romance is officially over. A source told : "Their relationship has been over for a long time, they just haven't been able to figure out how to make it official.

"Dakota held a flame for them to be together because she loved him so much and loved his kids so much." The insider added: "Breakups aren't instant and they continued to breakup and makeup and sometimes things would work when they were away from each other, while they were working because absence makes the heart grow fonder, but then they'd get back together and little things just kept adding up to where they weren't right for each other anymore."

Perhaps most heartbreaking of all is Dakota is said to be struggling with the distance from Chris' children, Apple, 21, and Moses, 19, whom she's previously described as her "everything."

The source revealed: "Dakota is devastated that she isn't going to be around his kids as much anymore, but wants them to know that she is always there for them." Express.co.uk has reached out to Chris and Dakota's representatives for a comment.

Dakota was last seen on Sunday (June 1) stepping out with Martin's ex, Jennifer Lawrence, notably without her engagement ring. Trouble in paradise was first reported by back in August 2024.

A spokesperson at the time denied they hadn't split, saying: "They are happily together". The pair also weathered a brief split in 2019 amid rumours Martin wanted children, but they quickly reunited.

The Fix You singer famously ended his decade-long marriage to Gwyneth Paltrow in 2014, who coined the now-infamous term "conscious uncoupling."

Their romance played out mostly away from the spotlight and were rarely pictured together. Johnson was spotted at a Coldplay concert in Buenos Aires in 2017, and the couple slowly made public appearances - including their red carpet debut at Stella McCartney's Autumn 2018 show.

Dakota's father, Don Johnson, once joked of the relationship: "Yeah, that's... uh troubling, isn't it? No, she's a big girl, she can handle herself!" while her mother Melanie Griffith said at a women's luncheon: "I adore him!"

In September 2018, Dakota told Tatler: "I'm not going to talk about it, but I am very happy." They appeared to form a modern blended family with Paltrow, her new husband Brad Falchuk, and the kids - spending Thanksgiving together in 2018 and enjoying beach outings in the Hamptons.

Paltrow herself told Harper's Bazaar in 2020: "I love her. I can see how it would seem weird because it's sort of unconventional. But I think, in this case, just having passed through it iteratively, I just adore her." Johnson returned the sentiment in 2024, gushing: "I love those kids like my life depends on it. With all my heart."