Nicola RobertsGirls Aloud’s Nicola Roberts has split from her boyfriend, Carl Egerton after five years together.

The couple met a year before Nicola competed in Popstars: The Rivals and won her place in the girl band but according to an inside source, Nicola’s success caused tensions between the two.

The source told the Mirror: “This is definitely it, they’re not getting back together.”

“They’ve been at each other’s throat for ages. One day last week, in the middle of a heated argument, something just snapped and Nicola decided enough was enough.”

“Everyone thought that this relationship would one day lead to marriage and kids but it just hasn’t worked out that way. They’d been together since she was 16 but the relationship has run its course.”

The source added that the split has actually helped Nicola’s self-esteem: “It’s almost as if a huge weight has been lifted from her shoulders.”

“She now has more confidence and is looking forward to leading the single life for a bit. She has seen Sarah Harding and the others do it, now she just wants a bit of fun, too.”