Everyone’s favourite ironic (sorry, iconic) symbol from the early Eighties, Gary Coleman, is to divorce on live TV, in an episode of Divorce Court.

Coleman, now 40 but still looking like a 12 year old, became famous in the TV series Diff’rent Strokes. He married his wife, 22 year old Shannon Price, in August 2007. Divorce Court is a US TV show where a judge has the authority to grant divorces and rule over the division of assets.

According to Price, Gary Coleman used to have childish tantrums when he didn’t get his own way, and he had no friends. Mind you, when you’re a 40 year old with the body of a child… unless Michael Jackson needs some mates.

Shannon said about Gary:

If he doesn’t get his way, he throws a temper tantrum like a five-year-old does. He like stomps the floor and yells, ‘Meehhhh,’ and starts throwing stuff around.

Gary Coleman responded in a typical childish manner.

I don’t have any friends and don’t have any intention of making any.

People will stab you in the back, mistreat you, talk about me behind your back, steal from you. And they’re not really your friends. [They are] only there because you’re a celebrity or because they want to get something from you.

It’s not her fault. I always feel like I have the weight of the world on my shoulders every day I get up… There are days I don’t even want to get up.

Gary sounds like a troubled man.

Clive Bellmore