George Clooney in 'sad' split with girlfriend

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Hollywood heart-throb actor George Clooney has split from his Italian girlfriend of two years Elisabetta Canalis, the ex-couple said Wednesday.

"We are not together anymore. It's very difficult and very personal, and we hope everyone can respect our privacy," they said in a joint statement cited by People magazine.

A spokesman for 32-year-old Canalis added: "It is a very personal and sad matter, and Elisabetta wants it to remain that way. She will be taking some time... and then will face the press.

"She has not authorized me to say when the split happened."

The celebrity couple were first seen in public at the Venice Film Festival in 2009, and had been spotted together in Italy as recently as last week, People reported.

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The 50-year-old actor, voted Sexiest Man Alive by People magazine in 1997, was married to actress Talia Balsam from 1989-93, but has downplayed the chances of getting hitched again.

"I gave it a shot," Clooney, whose girlfriends have also included Renee Zellwegger, told CNN's Piers Morgan in January.

When he was younger Michelle Pfeiffer and Nicole Kidman both bet $10,000 each that he would be a father before he turned 40. They were both wrong, and each sent him a check, according to the IMDb movie industry database.

He returned the money, betting double or nothing that he wouldn't have kids by age 50 -- which he turned in May this year.

Clooney's "The Ides of March", a thriller about a US presidential campaign, will open this year's Venice Film Festival and will compete for the coveted Golden Lion award, organizers said Wednesday.