Celebrity George Clooney and Elisabetta Canalis Split "We are not together anymore. It's very difficult and very personal," they say By Elizabeth Leonard Elizabeth Leonard Elizabeth Leonard is Managing Executive Editor and West Coast Bureau Chief for PEOPLE, where she's worked in leadership positions across the brand's entertainment and human interest verticals for 25 years. People Editorial Guidelines Published on June 22, 2011 11:10AM EDT Photo: Ramey George Clooney and Elisabetta Canalis have ended their two-year relationship. “We are not together anymore. It’s very difficult and very personal, and we hope everyone can respect our privacy,” Clooney and Canalis said in a joint statement Wednesday. Added Canalis’s publicist: “It is a very personal and sad matter, and Elisabetta wants it to remain that way. She will be taking some time … and then will face the press. She has not authorized me to say when the split happened.” PHOTOS: George Clooney: His Ladyloves Spotted enjoying a meal in Italy just last week, the handsome couple made their romance official in September 2009 at the Venice Film Festival. Months later, the Italian star told PEOPLE she was enjoying life in the limelight with Clooney. “Yes, I love it!” she said. In May, they celebrated the actor’s 50th birthday together in L.A. PHOTOS: George Clooney: The Way You Want Him