So the blooming whirlwind romance between Richard Gere and Padma Lakshmi has come to a screeching halt. The high profile couple who apparently started dating in April has decided to call it quits just six-months into their relationship. The splistville became evident when Padma Lakshmi admitted in a television interview recently that she is single when quizzed about her love life. Sources in the know suggest that the duo has decided that they would be better off as friends than lovers. Though Richard and Padma never admitted to being in a relationship, their numerous dates and other outings fuelled rumours of them being an item. Interestingly, Richard had in a recent interview mentioned that divorcing his wife helped him play a homeless guy in Time Out of Mind. "What probably really helped was that I was right in the middle of a divorce. The emotions were right on the surface," Richard was quoted saying. Bon vivant Padma Lakshmi has globe-trotted and dated some of the most intellectual men on the face of this earth. The beauty was married to author Salman Rushdie for three years until they divorced in 2007. Billionaire Teddy Forstmann then happened in her life and the duo remained together until he passed away of brain cancer in 2011. The Richard-Padma romance may have been short-lived but we have to say that the duo looked absolutely stunning together as a couple. But as they say good things are never meant to last longer.