In initial reports of her break-up with sunglasses salesman Theo de Vries, Harding claimed that she had been beaten up by her boyfriend.

Now Theo, who met Harding while they were both in rehab - he for crack cocaine and she for booze and sleeping pills - has given his side of the story. Painting a rather more complex picture, he claims that he was the one who was attacked.

Actually, we will probably never know exactly what happened in Innsbruck. It is, however, reported that local authorities will charge both Harding and De Vries with assault.

Still, strip away the Innsbruck chalets and whirlwind romance and celebrity scandal, and one thing is clear - Sarah is flailing around, clearly desperately unhappy with her life.

And for all her success, wealth and status, she is just like so many others when it comes to such despair.

It's easy to stand and gawp and have a bit of a snigger when someone famous runs into the rocks. We see it as entertainment, feel a bit better even for the reminder that no one really gets to have it all.

The truth is that Sarah (and Theo) deserve our compassion as well.