Brangelina: boring truth - they’re still together

When the News of the World declared Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's relationship was over in an "exclusive" last Sunday, The First Post made the point that the story continued to circulate despite friends of the couple claiming it simply wasn't true . One source told TMZ.com that it was "bullshit".

Now, after three days of fevered speculation, including headlines asking "Will Brad get back with Jen?" and pictures of a bachelor pad - with a cave - bought by Pitt so that he would have somewhere "to get over Angelina", the message is finally beginning to sink in: Brangelina are still an item and the News of the World got it wrong.

Either that or Brangelina have a team of spin doctors unparalleled in the art of turning a bad story round.

Whatever the truth, tabloids like the Daily Mail which picked up the baton from the News of the Word now seem to accept that the couple are still together.

It appears the reason the rumour started was that the couple were spotted attending the LA offices of a top law firm in December. According to the American magazine Life & Style, this bit was true. However, the visit was not to organise a break-up but to draw up a pre-nuptual agreement in the event of a break-up one day.

"The couple signed the document in early January," said Life & Style's source. "They agreed to share their money and assets and custody of their six children, all of whom would live with Angelina in the event of their parents¹ breakup."

"They didn't talk to the lawyer about splitting, nor was that ever mentioned at the meeting."

As for the bachelor pad and the cave where Brad was going to crawl away and try to get over Angie, it turns out Pitt bought it last August. Far from wanting it as a lonely bolthole, he was buying it to expand the estate he and Jolie own in the Hollywood Hills. According to TMZ.com, he quite often buys neighbouring properties when they come up on the market - as one does if one is a wealthy Hollywood star.

TMZ reports: "Brad's newest home is contiguous with his compound - and perfect for his ever expanding family ... a family that still includes Angelina." ·