HARRY POTTER - COLTRANE IS HEARTBROKEN . FRIENDS SAY

LATEST: Larger-than-life HARRY POTTER star ROBBIE COLTRANE is inconsolable following his split from wife RHONA GEMMELL - and friends say the actor's "heartbroken".

Since 34-year-old sculptor Gemmell moved out of their Glasgow, Scotland, home in January (03) with their two children - SPENCER, 10, and ALICE, 5 - Coltrane has been desperate to patch up the marriage.

He's ploughed himself into his work and was in London last night (15APR03) working on the third Potter film - HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN.

One pal of the 53-year-old actor says, "He's still very upset. He's quite a private man and keeps his emotions deep inside but it's true to say that he's heartbroken and has been on the phone regularly trying to patch things up.

"He's a successful guy and has filming commitments which take him away a lot, which hasn't helped matters. Things couldn't have gone on the way they were. It's terrible to see him this way."

Meanwhile, Coltrane's publicist insists the break-up is amicable.

She says, "Robbie asked me to say they have separated and that it's amicable and no one else has been involved. There is nothing more to say than that and he certainly won't be speaking about the break-up of his marriage."