YOU would think that the ideal situation for a celebrity would be to marry one of their own kind, another individual living in the limelight who understands the pressures and demands of the surreal world called Fame.

It seems logical that the foundations of a successful celebrity marriage should be based on being part of the same social sphere and sharing similar aspirations and career ambitions.

But does this concept really work? It almost seems as though being a celebrity couple compounds any marital problems and the burden of fame and fortune is multiplied rather than shared.

This week the tabloids have been filled with more news of collapsed celebrity marriages, as Chris Evans and Billie Piper appear to have split and Brian and Kerry McFadden consider their future.

In the case of Evans and Piper, many thought this marriage was doomed from the start due to the haste of the union and the large age gap between the two stars. Yes, things were going swimmingly when they were living it up on their two-year honeymoon, but now they've returned to the United Kingdom, it seems as though they have hit planet reality with an almighty crash.

At the time when the young pop star Billie met Chris Evans he was a dynamic, charismatic media mogul with an empire thought to be worth £86 million. The ginger haired, spectacle-wearing star may not have been a looker in the conventional sense, but he was funny and he had drive and ambition.

Unfortunately for Billie, Mr Evans is no longer the man he used to be. It is apparent he has no interest in further pursuing his career and all sense of purpose has dissipated as his accumulated wealth means he no longer has to strive to achieve success.

As she embarks on a flourishing acting career and is spending more time away from home, he seems to have adopted a been-there-and-done-that attitude, reluctant to show his young wife any moral support.

Perhaps Billie might want to refer to the Trades Description Act, as the husband she thought she was acquiring has not turned out as she expected.

Apart from a minor misdemeanour involving a drunken romp with a lap dancer on his stag night, ex-Westlife star Brian McFadden's marriage to Kerry McFadden has been pretty smooth sailing. The Irish singer and the ex-Atomic Kitten who appeared in I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here, have two children and appear regularly on TV promoting their stable, loving relationship.

It is thought to be the outspoken Kerry who prompted her husband to exit the boy band Westlife in favour of a more subdued solo career and, subsequently, more time with his family. However, things don't always turn out how you think, as Brian's debut single Real To Me, which ironically features lyrics about the stresses of fame, reached the top spot in the charts and subsequent mayhem ensued.

The question is does it really work if husband and wife are both celebrity figures? Perhaps marriage becomes a battle of egos with neither party willing to compromise on their share of the limelight. Are they both striving for success and reluctant to give their other half the time they deserve?

It's that classic scenario of "if you're busy working, I'll be busy doing my own thing" and then they become like ships in the night, never spending any quality time together.

In any relationship there has to be an element of give and take. In the strange celebrity world, where time is measured by concert tours and filming schedules, some attention has to be shown to the family. Indeed, American film actor Denzel Washington only appears in films where he can negotiate weekends off so he can spend time with his four kids and his wife of 22 years.

Yes, there are celebrity marriages that do stand the test of time, but most end in disaster and expensive legal bills.

This is due to the superficial nature of many celebrity unions, which are based on image, sex appeal and money rather than friendship and mutual respect.

The words "Til death do us part," seem to have been replaced by "Til I get bored and find somebody better".

Updated: 08:26 Saturday, October 02, 2004