So much for The Bachelorette's much-ballyhooed perfect relationship record. Last year's The Bachelorette 2 couple is no more, with Meredith Phillips and Ian McKee having announced yesterday that they have ended their relationship.

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In a statement released to the syndicated Extra entertainment news program that has become the Bachelor breakup announcement vehicle of choice (no doubt due to the common corporate ownership that both programs share), the pair stated that "our relationship began with great expectations for a happy ending, but unfortunately things didn't work out as we had hoped."

"What we experienced together was incredible and we are both sad to see it end. We thank you for your support," the couple added, describing the split as mutual. Apparently failing to realize that not only has the public's interest in The Bachelor franchise waned significantly, but that the bland twosome were never exactly a Brad and Jen power couple, Meredith and Ian are also reportedly asking the media and fans to allow them to "move forward with their lives."

News of Meredith and Ian's breakup comes only weeks after the launch of ABC's third The Bachelorette edition in which the matchmaking success of its first two editions was frquently touted. Not only did Bachelorette co-executive producer Lisa Levenson brag that Meredith and Ian would be "getting married this year" during her pre-Bachelorette 3 promotional interviews with the show broadcasting similar claims during its promos, but current bachelorette Jen Schefft also cited The Bachelorette's then-perfect 2 for 2 matchmaking record as one of her reasons for agreeing to participate in the third edition.

Meredith and Ian's break-up announcement follows in the footsteps of all five of The Bachelor's first five couples, leaving now-married original Bachelorette couple Trista Rehn and Ryan Sutter and this fall's Byron Velvick and Mary Delgado Bachelor 6 couple as the reality franchise's only remaining success stories.

Like Meredith and Ian, Bachelor 5 couple Jesse Palmer and Jessica Bowlin, fourth edition couple Bob Guiney and Estella Gardinier, and third edition couple Andrew Firestone and Jen Schefft all also appeared on Extra to formally announce their own breakups (although Bob and Estella's demise had been widely reported prior to their appearance.) First and second season couples Alex Michael and Amanda Marsh and Aaron Buerge and Helene Eksterowicz also failed to develop a lasting romantic relationship on the ABC reality show

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