Richie Dumped In Oz

Nicole Richie's relationship with Good Charlotte singer Joel Madden appears to be on the rocks, with widespread reports today suggesting the pair split up after the MTV Australia Video Music Awards.

Music industry insiders say that "Joel was acting like a single man" at an MTV awards after-party, and the couple "openly argued" in front of the crowd.

"Word is spreading fast that Joel and Nicole broke up right after their trip to Australia,"

Reports claim the rocker dumped Nicole for being "too clingy" during their trip Down Under, which included stops in Byron Bay and the Gold Coast.

"(Joel and his brother Benji) were both behaving like they didn't have girlfriends for the majority of the night," an insider at The Metro's post-MTV awards party said.

"They were certainly being 'the men'. She was in tears at one stage, but no one really knows why."

Madden's former girlfriend Hilary Duff recently told a leading gossip magazine this week she was finding his relationship with Richie tough to handle.

"It's definitely been difficult to see him move on so quickly," Duff admitted.

I wonder if Hilary will take him back - if she does she's more gullible than I thought.