Summary

NAME: UK MADONNA 5 20081015I TAPE: EF08/1048 IN_TIME: 11:25:59:18 DURATION: 00:02:41:05 SOURCES: AP TELEVISION/SKY DATELINE: London - 15 Oct 2008/ File RESTRICTIONS: SHOTLIST AP Television London, England, 1 September 2008 1. US pop star Madonna and husband, British film director Guy Ritchie walking arm in arm on red carpet for premiere of his latest film "RocknRolla" 2. Mid of Madonna and Ritchie on red carpet AP Television London, England - 15 October 2008 3. 'The Sun' British tabloid newspaper headline, reading (English): 'We're divorcing' with photo of Madonna and Guy Ritchie 4. Tilt down from headline to couple AP Television FILE: New York - 2 December 2007 5. Various of Madonna and Ritchie at film premiere SKY London, England - 15 October 2008 6. SOUNDBITE: (English) Gordon Smart, The Sun Newspaper: ++SOUNDBITE PARTIALLY OVERLAID WITH PREVIOUS SHOT++ "They're trying to make their marriage work and I think they've reached a point now where they've realised now there is no way they can repair the damage that's been done. I think in the last three weeks in particular they have had so many arguments that it has just come to a stage where they have decided to finish with the pretence and I think there will be an announcement imminently about the marriage being over." AP Television FILE: Exact Date and Location unknown 7. Madonna and Ritchie at public event AP Television London, England - 1 September 2008 8. SOUNDBITE: (English) Vanessa Lloyd Platts, Celebrity divorce lawyer "Well I suspect that they may have already or are about to start proceedings in Britain. Madonna may have seen Fiona Shackleton, may have brought in Nick Moss as her counsel, the team that was running for Paul McCartney and that she might have thought about negotiations with Guy. If she's sensible, and she's a smart cookie Madonna, at this very moment she will be consulting with her lawyers about making an early settlement." AP Television London, England - 15 October 2008 9. Newspaper headline SKY London, England - 15 October 2008 10. SOUNDBITE: (English) Max Clifford, Public Relations agent: "Normally, in a relationship like that one does all the giving and one does all the taking. Now I know neither of them but they don't strike me as being the kind of people that are going to let the other person have it all their own way. Therefore you can only see potential clashes." AP Television London, England - 15 October 2008 11. Newspaper article on divorce SKY London, England - 15 October 2008 12. SOUNDBITE: (English) Max Clifford, Public Relations agent "Both are totally professional, you know, both, if there were any doubt, would both have seen what happened to Heather Mills by mounting the campaign she did against Paul McCartney, and neither would want that and they both cherish their privacy." AP Television FILE: Dornoch, Scotland - 21 December 2000 13. Various of Madonna and Guy Ritchie coming out of christening service with son Rocco AP Television FILE: London, England - 20 September 2005 14. Madonna and Ritchie at public event 15. SOUNDBITE (English) Madonna, Pop Star: "We'd love to spend more time with each other (laughs)." 16. SOUNDBITE (English) Guy Ritchie, Filmmaker: "It is an issue, it is an issue, yes." STORYLINE: US pop star Madonna and her husband, British film director Guy Ritchie, have ended their marriage after nearly eight years, the couple said in a joint statement on Wednesday. The couple asked the media to "maintain respect for their family at this difficult time," said in the statement, e-mailed to The Associated Press by Liz Rosenberg, Madonna's publicist. A financial settlement has not been agreed by the couple. Earlier, citing unnamed sources, British tabloid papers The Sun and Daily Mail had reported that the couple hoped to have a divorce finalised by Christmas. The Sun said the couple had tried but failed to save the marriage, and that Madonna, 50, had wanted to wait until her latest world tour wrapped up in Brazil in December before announcing the split. The singer was scheduled to perform concerts on Wednesday and Thursday in Boston as her "Sticky and Sweet" tour continued. Wednesday's confirmation came after months of speculation that the couple's marriage was on the rocks. Over the summer, Madonna was linked - unfairly, she said - to the recent break-up of New York Yankees baseball star Alex Rodriguez and his ex- wife Cynthia. In July, Madonna's US publicist released a statement which said the couple had "no plans to divorce". Madonna and movie director Ritchie married in December 2000 at a Scottish castle. The couple have two children: eight-year-old Rocco and three-year-old David Banda, who they adopted from Malawi in 2006. Madonna also has a 12-year-old daughter, Lourdes, from her relationship with personal trainer Carlos Leon. The divorce could be potentially complex. Aside from custody issues, there is plenty at stake financially, with the couple reportedly worth around 300 (m) million pounds (525 million US dollars), the bulk of that belonging to Madonna. Ritchie has an estimated 20 (m) million (35 million US dollar) fortune. They also own homes in London, Los Angeles and New York, as well as a 1,200-acre (485-hectare) retreat in Wiltshire, England. British public relations guru Max Clifford on Wednesday said it was unlikely the divorce would be anything as acrimonious as the high profile split between former Beatle Paul McCartney and Heather Mills earlier this year. A judge awarded former model Mills 24.3 (m) million pounds (42.6 million US dollars) in the divorce. Madonna has been one of the most successful singers and performers in the history of recorded music. She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last year, joining greats like The Beatles, Elvis Presley and Ray Charles in the Cleveland, Ohio, shrine.