George Clooney with Elisabetta Canalis in together times

That Holly heartthrob George Clooney is no longer seeing Italian hottie Elisabetta Canalis — his partner of two years — is old news.

With both Clooney and Canalis keeping mum over the reasons for the sudden split, an old friend of the Up in the Air star — who had introduced Clooney to Canalis in 2009 — has finally spilled the beans.

According to pal Manuele Malenotti, Clooney was fed up of his role as Elisabetta’s “paparazzi magnet”, describing his model-actress girlfriend to his buddies as someone who could “go to any lengths to draw media attention to herself”.

“On vacations, she’d spend forever in her room, primping in her bikini, then go strolling on the beach for photographers to snap pictures of her. George lost interest when she showed her true colours,” Malenotti was quoted as saying.

That apart, Clooney’s refusal to marry or have children drove a wedge in the relationship. “Elisabetta confided to friends that she couldn’t digest the fact that he didn’t want to ever marry or have children,” adds Malenotti.

Soon after the split, rumours of Clooney being gay started doing the rounds, a claim that the actor has hotly denied. The origin of the rumours is dubious.

Sour grapes, Miss Canalis?