As Maya Jama and Stormzy reunite, here are 11 celebrity couples that came back stronger after splitting
The news of Maya Jama and Stormzy getting back together delighted us as we saw smitten recent snaps of them lapping up the sunshine in Greece. The pair were glowing, smiling ear to ear and looked happier than ever, proving that sometimes distance makes the heart grow fonder.
A lot of times, if things don't work out between two people, it doesn't mean that they're not meant to be. In fact, it means that they both need time apart, do the work on themselves and figure out what steps need to be taken to make the relationship work a second time around. Sometimes, it truly is a case of people realising just how good they had it in a relationship, which they initially thought stood the test of time. And in the case of Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck, it took a nearly twenty-year break for them to clock that were meant to be together all along.
Some celebrity couples who have gotten back together are now stronger than ever after ironing out issues that once proved to be a problem, such as Hilary Duff & Matthew Koma and Justin Timberlake & Jessica Biel. Meanwhile, time apart from Behati Prinsloo left Adam Levine pining for her, as did Dax Shepard for Kristen Bell after he split with her to date someone else.
Nonetheless, lessons have most certainly been learnt, and relationships have flourished during a second, and sometimes even third, shot at love. So join us as we look at eleven couples who overcame a rough patch to get back together and are now more in love than ever before.
INATHMaya Jama and Stormzy
Just when we thought Maya Jama had moved on to basketball player Ben Simmons, she came running back into the arms of rapper Stormzy four years after parting ways in 2019 following a four-year relationship. Their romantic reconciliation was confirmed as they strolled hand in hand on the Greek island of Hydra. We literally couldn't be happier at this news!
Jerritt ClarkJustin Bieber and Hailey Bieber
We've all seen the video of Justin and Hailey's awkward first meeting at a fan event in 2009 when they were little pre-teens. Soon after that, they became close friends, with their romance evolving into a relationship in February 2016. However, soon after, they called it quits and didn't get back together until 2018 for their whirlwind second shot at love. Months later, the pair got engaged and married in a courthouse ceremony before having a larger traditional ceremony in September 2019. Despite being at the centre of constant split rumours, the pair have proven stronger than ever.
Jason BollenbacherDax Shepard and Kristen Bell
They're probably one of Hollywood's strongest couples, but they, too, hit a rough patch three months into dating. Speaking to POPSUGAR, Kristen recalled: "He sat me down and said, 'I can't have this right now. I think you're wonderful, but I am still dating other people.' And then I, like, liquefied and fell to the ground, but I felt incredibly respected that he had the balls to tell me we weren't in the same place."
Dax added that he realised his mistake, stating: "'I don't know what I was thinking. I was dating someone else, but they're just not as interesting as you, and I don't know what I'm doing.'" The couple are now parents to daughters Delta and Lincoln.
Amy SussmanSylvester Stallone and Jennifer Flavin
Things proved to be, erm, Rocky, for Hollywood icon Sylvester Stallone as he and his longtime wife Jennifer Flavin, who he wed in 1997, announced plans to divorce in August 2022. "I love my family. We are amicably and privately addressing these personal issues," the 77-year-old said in a statement to PEOPLE after Jennifer filed for divorce.
Only a month later, the actor's rep confirmed that the pair had reconciled, writing: "They decided to meet back up at home, where they talked and were able to work out their differences. They are both extremely happy,"
This year, their reality show, The Family Stallone, alongside their three daughters Sophia, Sistine and Scarlet, premiered and proved just how strong of a family unit they are.
Chris JacksonPrince William and Kate Middleton
It was a royal shock to us to learn that things weren't always a fairytale between Prince William and Kate Middleton. The pair, who met at university, endured a high-profile split in 2007, with many outlets at the time reporting that William got cold feet over the seriousness of their relationship. However, less than a year later, the pair were back together and now parents to Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
Kevin MazurPink and Carey Hart
Pink and Carey Hart's strong relationship is a result of a whole lot of hard work. The pair first began dating in 2001, only to split for the first time in 2003, with the songstress explaining that his rock and roll motocross lifestyle was hard to keep up with. They decided to give things a second go, reconciled, and married in 2005. However, things took a turn two years later when they separated. But since reconciling in 2009, the pair have been stronger even since and now are doting parents to two young children, Willow and Jameson.
Axelle/Bauer-GriffinAdam Levine and Behati Prinsloo
Adam Levine previously admitted that his famous last words were that he "would never get married," but when he began dating model Nina Agdal during his split from fellow Victoria's Secret model Behati Prinsloo, it made him realise that he wanted to spend forever with her. And just like that, he proposed to the Namibian beauty, and the pair went on to tie the knot in 2014. Today, they are parents to three children.
Matt WinkelmeyerJustin Timberlake and Jessica Biel
Four years after they were first linked together, Justin and Jessica briefly split in March 2011. However, a short period apart was all that they needed to know, that they wanted to make it work with one another. They got back together a few months later, in August, and by December of that year, they were engaged. The couple tied the knot in 2012, with the former boybander later gushing that Jessica was "single-handedly most significant person in my life". They share two children together.
Lionel HahnHilary Duff and Matthew Koma
They are now happily married, but things were tumultuous for a while between Hilary Duff and Matthew Kima. After meeting in 2015, the pair began dating in 2017. However, their relationship didn't start smoothly as that very year, they briefly split and then reconciled a few months later. Soon after that, things were full steam ahead. They welcomed their daughter, Banks Violet Bair, the following year in October 2018, got engaged in May 2019, married in December 2019 and welcomed their second daughter, Mae James, in March 2021.
Jerritt ClarkGabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade
We love, love, love Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade together, but the pair took time apart in April 2013 after four years together. Luckily, they realised they couldn't live without one another and became engaged in December 2013 and tied the knot in September 2014. "We supported each other, but we took a step back for a little while," Dwyane said on The Tonight Show. "At the end of the day, we came back together and said, 'Listen, we want to continue this. We want to try to continue to get better each day.'"
Momodu MansarayJennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck were once Hollywood's most high-profile couple. However, the attention surrounding their A-list union was so intense that they called off their engagement in 2004. However, the pair couldn't escape their destiny, which meant romantically reuniting, with speculation of their reconciliation first emerging in April 2021 when they were spotted outside JLo's home following her split from Alex Rodriguez. To our delight, they were engaged a year later, and a few months later, in the summer of 2022, they officially tied the knot!
