Alright Singles, Start your engines. One of Hollywood’s best-looking couples are no longer doing it.
The Social Network’s Justin Timberlake, 30, and actress Jessica Biel, 29 have called time on their four year romance — for real this time. The Hollywood pair began dating shortly after Justin split from actress Cameron Diaz in 2007, but have made the mutual decision to finally call it quits, their rep told PEOPLE Magazine Thursday evening.
“Addressing the media speculation regarding Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake’s relationship, we are confirming that they mutually have decided to part ways,” read a joint statement released to the celebrity weekly. “The two remain friends and continue to hold the highest level of love and respect for each other.”
News of the split doesn’t exactly come as a shock. The couple has been dogged by breakup rumors, particularly in recent weeks, as they dodged reports that Timberlake has been secretly sexting sexy siren Olivia Munn.
“She had several new text messages from Justin on it,” a friend (some friend!) of the fanboy fave divulged to Life & Style earlier this year. “They’d all been sent very recently, the last few weeks of December.”
“One said, ‘My relationship is basically over.’ The other said, ‘I’m thinking about you,’” the pal added. “There was part of a third that said something like, ‘You don’t understand how hard it is.’ I didn’t see that entire text, so I’m not sure how that sentence ended.”
The loose-lipped informant said that Olivia is texting Justin back, but she knows it’s not serious.
“She’s super flattered, but she’s not stupid. She’s not expecting it to go anywhere – but she’d love it if it did!”
That must have been devastating news for JB, who called Justin “the most precious thing” in her life in an interview for the Jan. 2010 issue of Vogue Magazine.
“I don’t feel the need to clear anything up,” Jessica remarked of split rumors circling the couple at the time. “It’s the most precious thing that I have in my life, and I care about it so much that I don’t care about what anyone says or thinks. I have just not addressed it in any real way, and I’m not going to. It’s mine. And I really like that about it.”
Justin and Jessica made their final public appearance at Vanity Fair’s Oscars After-Party last month.