Madonna marriage not good - brother

10:22pm Friday 18th July 2008

Madonna and Guy Ritchie's marriage is in trouble because the ambitious pair compete with each other, the pop star's brother said.

Christopher Ciccone accused film director Ritchie, 39, of being uncomfortable with his wife's once close relationship with her brother.

Promoting a new book on the singer, he told GMTV that the couple's marriage was "not as good as (it) could be".

"Her career continues its gentle glide up but Guy's has gotten a little bit stale," he said.

Ciccone said that being married to Madonna, 49, would be "next to impossible".

He said: "They are two very ambitious and creative people competing. On some level they are going to be competing with each other and if one's doing better..."

Madonna's spokeswoman has denied speculation that the couple were consulting divorce lawyers and that their relationship was on the rocks.

Ciccone said: "It has to be difficult, when everyone in the world is saying you are about to get divorced. It's like being told you are fat. Eventually you start to think you are."

He said of Ritchie: "He's really the first one (boyfriend) that I didn't get on with." Madonna's "closeness" to her brother was an "issue" for the Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels director, he said.

"I don't like him. He's an unpleasant kind of person," Ciccone said. "We haven't found a way to become friends."

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