Expert shares the ‘perfect’ age gap for couples

They say age is just a number, and in the glitz and glam world of celebrity relationships, age gaps are pretty common.

Some well-known couples, who have at least a decade between them, include Peter Andre, 50, and his wife Emily, 33, who are 23 years apart. The couple also recently announced they’re expecting another baby in 2024. Leonardo DiCaprio, 48, is well known for only dating younger women, George Clooney, 62, and wife Amal, 45, are 17 years apart, Kris Jenner, 66, and Corey Gamble, 42, are 25 years apart, while Cher, 77, recently gushed about her boyfriend Alexander Edwards, 37, who is 40 years younger.

That's not to say that people from different generations don't have relationships in the regular world, too!

Now, a relationship expert has revealed the ‘perfect’ age gap for couples. A study conducted by Emory University in Atlanta has apparently found the best age gap as well as the number most likely to fail.

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The study predicted how likely couples are to end things based on their age gap, claiming couples with more than two decades between them have a 95 percent chance of separating.

A famous couple that have a 20-year age gap is Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, 36, and Jason Statham, 56.

According to the study, those with a ten-year age gap have a 39 percent chance of splitting and those with a five-year age gap have an 18 percent chance of ending their coupling.

The ideal age gap may surprise you because it’s actually just one year. Yep, couples with only 12 months between them have a teeny tiny three percent chance of breaking up, according to researchers.

“Dating someone closer to your age does make it easier when it comes to common ground. You tend to ‘get’ each other if you grew up in the same generation,” relationship expert Samantha Jayne told news.com.au.

The study looked at 3,000 couples, and of course, there are always exceptions to the rules. Couples with smaller age gaps still call it quits, just look at Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner, who are seven years apart.

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“You know the same music, TV shows, fashion, political/global issues. It comes down to birds of a feather flock together,” Samantha explained.

Although people who are of the same generation may have more in common on paper, some singles may opt for an older partner for a sense of stability or maturity while others may seek someone younger because it makes them feel youthful.

“All circumstances are different, and it does come down to an individual. Ultimately the studies have found that a gap of one to three years has the greatest level of happiness and satisfaction,” Samantha explained.

“Often with larger age gaps there tends to be a power struggle. Sometimes the older one is more like a parent and the younger one is more in a follow position with less of a voice.

“In some cases, some cultures frown upon large age gaps especially with women being older so this can be very challenging.”

Although we often see older men seek younger women as partners, Samantha says the roles have been reversed, with older women looking for younger men for relationships.