Celebrity break-ups: Why their pain is our pain

The fan response to celebrity breakups is extreme because they are our gilded ideal, says Prudence Wade.

In the uncertain world of celebrity relationships, one thing is for sure: if any of our favourites break up, the public outpouring of grief is going to be intense. Just look at Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth, who split last week. The response on social media was devastation.