GETTING divorced is an expensive affair for Hollywood’s hottest celebs, who shell out millions – even billions – of pounds of hard-earned cash when their love lives go sour.
In 2023, pop princess Britney Spears pulled the plug on her 14-month marriage to fitness pro Sam Asghari.
11Britney called time on her brief marriage to Sam Asghari last yearCredit: Getty
While he wants a mega pay-out, her iron-clad prenup could mean he won’t get a penny of her fortune.
The singer keeps her purse-strings tightly pinched, but these unfortunate super-rich stars had a seriously big divorce debt to pay…
ADELE AND SIMON KONEKIFortune lost: £134 million
11Adele’s divorce cost a whopping £134 millionCredit: Getty Images
Adele may have asked Simon to go ‘easy on me’ when she stepped back from their marriage in 2019.
The singer and her ex – a charity entrepreneur – were together for years and had a son (11-year-old Angelo) before finally tying the knot in 2018…only for Adele to call time months later.
“I was just going through the motions and I wasn’t happy,” she told Vogue in 2021.
Adele kept the £134 million divorce away from the press but still has wonderful things to say about her ex.
Speaking to Oprah Winfrey, she revealed: “ We live across the street from each other. Even now, I trust him with my life.”
BRAD PITT AND ANGELINA JOLIEFortune lost: £79 million 
11Brangelina’s unpleasant split has cost the pair a fortuneCredit: Getty
Mr and Mrs Smith superstars Brad and Ange soured just two years after their French vineyard wedding. Eight years and £79 million in legal fees later, the pair are still deep in divorce disputes.
Angelina filed for divorce in September 2016 after Brad was accused of allegedly ‘getting physical’ on the family’s private jet.
What followed was the epic and ongoing ‘War of the Rosés’. Brad is suing his ex-wife for selling her stake in their co-owned French estate, Chateau Miraval, without his knowledge.
The pair, who share six children, are still slinging abuse, with Jolie’s legal team calling the actor a ‘petulant child’ back in July.
KIM KARDASHIAN AND KANYE WESTFortune lost: £166,000 a month
11Kanye West pays Kim £166,000 a month to support their childrenCredit: Getty
Rapper Kanye West may have trouble ‘keeping up with’ his ex-Kardashian in the future. The songwriter called Kim his bride from 2014 until 2021, when the reality queen called it quits after years of struggle to “make myself happy”.
Kanye reportedly slated Kim’s skills as a mother, but she’s had the last laugh.
The pair shared £55 million in joint assets and while Kim’s fortune stands at £614 million, she had Kanye agree to pay £166,000 a month for child support from his own £1.6 billion bank balance.
JOHNNY DEPP AND AMBER HEARD Fortune lost: £5.5 million
11Johnny and Amber went to court over alleged defamation and domestic abuseCredit: Getty Images – Getty
When Amber and Johnny met on the set of The Rum Diary in 2008, it really was a recipe for disaster. The pair married in 2015 and a year later, the world watched as Depp faced court for alleged defamation and domestic abuse.
Amber claimed that her ex abused her while taking drink and drugs, but ultimately lost the case. She eventually withdrew her request for a restraining order and got a £5.5 million settlement.
In a joint statement, they said: “Our relationship was intensely passionate and at times volatile, but always bound by love. Neither party has made false accusations for financial gain. There was never any intent of physical or emotional harm.”
GUY RITCHIE AND MADONNAFortune lost: £59 million 
11Our material girl lost millions in assets when she split from Guy RitchieCredit: AFP
This material girl shelled out a massive fortune when she split with director Guy Ritchie in 2008. The high profile pair married in 2000 with close pals Sting, Gwyneth Paltrow and Donatella Versace in tow, but according to close sources, Guy got sick of her ‘soap opera’ life and ‘didn’t really want to adopt’ David [Banda, now 18].
“She always came first,” the source added. “There was only so much he could put up with and what Madonna wants, Madonna gets.”
The duo battled fiercely for custody of their son Rocco, now 23, and Madonna ultimately won the war.
They finally settled in December 2008, with Madonna paying Guy between 50 and 60 million pounds – including the couple’s English country estate, Ashcombe, which was valued at £20 million.
JEFF BEZOS AND MACKENZIE SCOTTFortune lost: £30.1 billion in stocks
11Jeff handed over £30 billion in Amazon stock to his former wifeCredit: Getty Images – Getty
When Amazon founder Jeff shipped divorce papers to MacKenzie Scott in 2019, he lost more than a few parcels in transit.
Discovering his affair with Black Ops Aviation owner Lauren Sanchez, mum-of-four MacKenzie called time on their 25-year marriage and left with a whopping £30.1 billion in Amazon stock.
Incredibly, the divorce didn’t make a dent in Jeff’s fortune. His net worth is £126 billion, making him the third-richest person in the world.
ALEC AND JOCELYN WILDENSTEINFortune lost: £3 million
11Jocelyn spent £1 million a month while married to art dealer AlecCredit: BackGrid
Swiss socialite Jocelyn is famous for more than her feline face. The ‘catwoman’ reportedly spent £1 million a month with her art dealer husband, who inherited the world’s largest collection of major works of art.
But love didn’t last. Jocelyn claimed she found a Russian model in bed with Alec, who was charged with threatening his wife with a handgun.
After 21 years – and many plastic surgeries, which Jocelyn denies – the pair endured a dramatic divorce in 1999 and the mum-of-two bagged £3 million of his fortune.
She was banned from using any money on more surgery, but spent so much that she went bankrupt in 2018.
BERNIE AND SLAVICA ECCLESTONE Fortune lost: £945,000
11Slavica Ecclestone lost an eye-watering sum following her divorce from the F1 legendCredit: Getty – Contributor
F1 Supremo Bernie pulled a fast one on his second wife Slavica Radic. In the late 90s, while suffering from a serious illness, the businessman transferred all his assets to his bride in a bid to stop his daughters, Tamara and Petra, paying inheritance tax on his fortune.
So, when Slavica filed for divorce in 2009, she was forced to pay back £78 million a year from the trust fund.
MICHAEL & JUANITA JORDAN Fortune lost: £132 million
11Michael’s slam dunk divorce was mutual, but he made the record books with his payoutCredit: Getty
Basketball star Michael Jordan got himself in a Space Jam when he cut ties with model wife Juanita Vanoy.
The power couple got married in 1989 and took a break in 2002 before calling it quits in a ‘mutual and amicable’ divorce in 2006.
The Chicago Bulls legend suffered the costliest separation for a sports star of all time, with Juanita taking home £132 million.
He also reportedly shelled out £1.6 million in legal fees.
PHIL & ORIANNE COLLINSFortune lost: £36 million 
11This messy divorce, surprisingly, didn’t end in tears – the pair reunited for a four year flingCredit: Getty
Phil Collins, it turns out, was not an ‘easy lover’ to his ex-wife, who enjoyed the biggest divorce settlement in British legal history [at the time] in 2008.
The Genesis singer, who married Orianne in 1999, ordered his ex out of his mega mansion. In response, she sold off his prized possessions and auctioned off ‘assorted Phil Collins awards’ for less than £100.
Orianne tried to sue Phil for half of his Miami beach house, and claimed the star wouldn’t shower or brush his teeth.
Despite slinging low blows for years, they reunited in 2016 and enjoyed a four-year affair.
