Melissa George splits with hip-hop lover

Perth-born and raised actor Melissa George has split with her multi-millionaire boyfriend Russell Simmons due to the "difficulties of a long distance relationship".

George and the hip-hop mogul were first spotted kissing at an MLS All-Star soccer game against Manchester United last July.

They quickly went public with their relationship in August last year, just two months after the actor was seen out with her then husband of 11 years Claudio Dabed at a Tommy Hilfiger party in Los Angeles.

While 35-year-old George glammed up in a Victoria Beckham designed gown to attend the BAFTA Awards in London at the weekend, Simmons, 54, confirmed the news of the split from New York.

"Long distance relationships are to say the least difficult. For me & melissa a few weeks ago .. We agreed impossible," Simmons tweeted.

The former Home and Away star has been busy globetrotting while filming her lead role in the coming spy thriller series, Nemesis, which is from the makers of Spooks.