Michael Sheen and Sarah Silverman split

Welsh actor Michael Sheen and comedienne Sarah Silverman have parted ways after almost four years of dating.

The funnywoman shared the news in a post on Twitter on Monday (05Feb18), revealing they quietly called it quits in late December (17).

Borrowing a phrase made famous by Gwyneth Paltrow in 2014, when she announced her separation from then-husband Chris Martin, Sarah tweeted, "The great @michaelsheen & I consciously uncoupled over Christmas."

"I mean, not 'over Christmas' - like that wasn't the fight that ended it. No fight," she confirmed. "We just live in different countries & it got hard. Felt we should just tell y'all so u stop askin (sic), 'How's Michael/How's Sarah?'"

Last summer (17), the Los Angeles-based actress revealed their relationship had become a long-distance affair as Michael decided to return to his native U.K. to become more politically involved after his daughter Lily, with ex-girlfriend Kate Beckinsale, prepared to head off to college.

"I call him my on-again, off-again lover because we're apart by oceans. Or, well, one ocean...," Sarah explained to talk show host Jimmy Kimmel, her ex-boyfriend. "You know me, I'm a loner, so it's OK."

Discussing the situation, she added, "His daughter turned 18 and he wanted to go home. He was here (in Los Angeles) to be with his nearest daughter, now she's off, she's gonna start her own life...

"You know how I'm like, kind of politically active? Well, he wants to be (too), and he needs to be home to do that, so he's there a lot... And then we just long for each other and we see each other and we love each other."

Sheen has yet to comment on the break-up.

The former couple began dating in early 2014 after meeting on the set of his series Masters of Sex.