Jonny and girlfriend in shock split

Jonny Wilkinson and his girlfriend are taking a break from their relationship after drifting apart, friends said last night.

The England rugby star and TV presenter Diana Stewart, who have been together for three years, have split up but remain on good terms.

And friends of both have insisted they could reunite in the near future.

Wilkinson, 25, has spent the last few weeks in Newcastle while Miss Stewart, also 25, has been in London, where she works for Sky Sports News.

A source said: 'Diana and Jonny have split up but there was no big bust-up or anything like that, and there was definitely no one else involved.

'They are still friends and were speaking on the phone only two days ago.

'The sad fact is that they have drifted apart. Jonny has been injured for a while and has been busy trying to get back to peak fitness, while Diana's career is on the up and she is working incredibly hard in London.'

Another friend said Wilkinson's huge commitment to rugby had caused a rift. 'It is the same with all his relationships, rugby got in the way then as it is doing now,' the friend said.

'He's just so committed to the sport that there is no room for anything else.'

The couple's last public appearance together was last month, when Wilkinson was awarded the OBE for services to rugby.

Wilkinson, who plays for Newcastle Falcons, has been beset by injuries since he scored the winning drop goal in the World Cup final against Australia in December last year.

The shy sportsman, who will be worth £25million in five years thanks to a string of advertising deals, recently admitted he came close to quitting following an operation on his neck this year.

He has since said that his right arm will 'never be the same again' because of nerve damage sustained to his shoulder.

He has been exercising his way back to fitness and may return to the game as early as next week.

Miss Stewart, a former model, met Wilkinson when she was in her final year of a Spanish and German degree at Newcastle University. They shared a love of sport and quickly became close, but have always shunned the limelight.