Sarah Silverman and Michael Sheen split after four years

Sarah Silverman and Michael Sheen have confirmed they have split up after four years.

The American comedian and actress tweeted that their long-distance relationship had "got hard":

The great @michaelsheen & I consciously uncoupled over Christmas. I mean, not “over Christmas” - like that wasn’t the fight that ended it. No fight. We just live in different countries & it got hard. Felt we should just tell y’all so u stop askin, “How’s Michael/How’s Sarah?”

— Sarah Silverman (@SarahKSilverman) February 5, 2018

Although she had previously joked that her relationship with the Masters of Sex actor was "on-again, off-again",  the pair revealed that Sheen had decided to return to the UK after his daughter Lily was accepted into New York University.

"I call him my on-again, off-again lover because we're apart by oceans. Or, well, one ocean. You know me, I'm a loner, so it's OK," said Silverman.

"His daughter turned 18 and he wanted to go home. He was here to be with his nearest daughter, now she's off, she's gonna start her own life ..."

The couple met while filming Masters of Sex, in which Sheen played the lead role of Dr Masters and Silverman had a recurring role in seasons two and three.