A lawyer for the actress Katie Holmes has confirmed reports that she and Tom Cruise are divorcing after five years of marriage.

Jonathan Wolfe gave no more details, saying it was a private matter for the family.

Cruise – who turns fifty next week – married his third wife in 2006 in an Italian castle, after excitedly jumping up and down on Oprah Winfrey’s sofa, to show the world how much he loved her.

The couple have a six year old daughter, Suri.

Cruise has two adopted children with his second wife, Nicole Kidman, and was previously married to another actress, Mimi Rogers.