Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt Announce Separation

Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt have lived most of their relationship in front of the cameras but, for a change, they’ve been extremely quiet about their recent separation. Heidi’s rep confirms for TMZ that the two are no longer together because Spencer has taken total control of his wife’s life and she can simply not take it anymore. Divorce is not yet on the table, though.

Reports started to circulate a few weeks ago that Spencer, who always seemed to be the gateway paparazzi and tabloids had to their life as a couple, had assumed complete control over Heidi, even locking her in their home to prevent her from going out. Moreover, he was the one who would only let her talk to the outlets and people he deemed important enough to talk to, and this also extended to her family. In mid-May, for instance, Pratt and Heidi called the cops on her mother, after she came to visit and have a heart-to-heart with Heidi.

“Heidi’s rep tells TMZ, ‘Heidi is looking to move out due to all the fake bad press that Spencer controls. She’s tired of it and is looking for a place and wants to focus on her acting career.’ We’re told Heidi – pictured here [with Spencer] in Malibu last Friday – is looking for a new place to live... in Malibu. As TMZ first reported, Heidi and Spencer called the police on Heidi’s mom a few weeks back... so there’s been plenty of turmoil,” TMZ also says of the unexpected announcement.

“A source close to Heidi and Spencer tells TMZ the tension in the relationship has been building for a while now... ‘It wasn’t just a sudden thing.’ Now it makes sense... On Tuesday, Heidi tweeted, ‘I am not Heidi Pratt, I am Heidi Montag.’ Spencer’s sister, Stephanie Pratt, tells TMZ, ‘I hope whether this statement is true or not that they are both happy in whatever life decisions they make’,” the same media outlet further says.

At the same time, Montag’s rep is also saying that divorce is not yet an issue, urging the media not to rush into things and jump at the wrong conclusions. This, together with the fact that these two stars usually don’t make one step without alerting all the US weeklies and at least two paparazzi agencies, has contributed to many a blogger’s belief that this separation could be just another publicity stunt.