New sadness for Aherne as lover leaves

Comedy star Caroline Aherne's relationship with a wealthy businessman is reported to be in tatters today after he moved out of their shared apartment.

The comedian and writer began seeing computer entrepreneur Brett Whitford after relocating to Australia to escape the pressures of fame.

But Mr Whitford is believed to have left their rented London apartment and gone home to Sydney after a ninemonth relationship with Miss Aherne.

She was last night thought to be recovering at the home of her mother, Maureen, in Manchester. A source said: "Caroline and Brett have really been having a long distance relationship because she has been in the UK and he has been working in Australia. It is very stressful spending time apart and things haven't been easy for either of them."

Miss Aherne, best known for the BBC sitcom The Royle Family and as the spoof chatshow host Mrs Merton, quit Britain after bouts of depression and alcoholism culminated in a suicide attempt.

She said she needed to "become a private person again" and appeared to have found happiness with the 35-year-old Australian, the founder of an internet security firm, whom she met in a pub a month after her arrival.

There was talk that they would marry. Two months ago, Mr Whitford said: "The rumour mill is working overtime about us. We're still in love and we're still together."

The couple moved into a waterfront flat in Sydney. But Miss Aherne, 38, became homesick and brought Mr Whitford to Britain in March.

Friends commented on how "revitalised" she appeared.

While in Australia, she had worked every day on a on a new sitcom called Dossa And Joe, to be screened on BBC television next week.