In a story published on 24 January, the paper said the couple would separate and had agreed the division of assets and custody of their children.

The couple’s lawyer, Keith Schilling, called the “widely republished” allegations “false and intrusive”.

He added the paper had failed to meet “reasonable demands” for an apology.

He said the pair had also asked for a retraction of the allegations, which had subsequently been “widely republished by mainstream news outlets”.

A statement from Schillings Lawyers also noted that Sorrell Trope, identified by some publications as a divorce lawyer advising Pitt and Jolie, had never met them.

“I have had no contact from… Angelina Jolie and / or Brad Pitt,” said Trope in a letter quoted in the statement.

“I have never met… your clients or had any involvement with either of them. The foregoing is true with respect to all other members of this firm.”

The action comes following the publication by the News of the World of allegations that Jolie and / or Pitt had visited a divorce lawyer in December, and that an agreement had been reached between them regarding custody of their children and the dividing of their joint assets of £205m.

The newspaper added that the agreement had been signed last month and that the separation would occur imminently.

A spokesperson for the News Of The World was unable to comment at the time of writing.

Pitt and Jolie, who are not married, have six children.

They made a rare public appearance on Sunday night’s Super Bowl, along with their eldest son, Maddox.

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