Sylvester Stallone issued public apology for 'cowardly' way he broke up with his wife that will shock fans

Actor Sylvester Stallone once issued a public apology over the way he broke up at one point with his wife Jennifer Flavin.

Stallone has been married three times, the first one to Sasha Czack which lasted from 1974 to 1985, before his second marriage to model and actress Brigitte Nielsen which lasted for two years before a divorce in 1987.

Stallone - who is best known for his starring roles in the boxing franchise Rocky and action films Rambo - began a relationship with Flavin in 1988, but the partnership was not without its trying moments and the now 78-year-old once made a candid admission about how he tried to break up with her and the method will shock fans who are unaware.

Speaking to Sean Hannity for the inaugural episode of Fox Nation's long-form interview show Sean, as he sat alongside Flavin, Stallone explained that he attempted to end the relationship via FedEx after six years together.

He described the method as 'cowardly' and said: "That’s the most insincere breakup you can get.

"You put it down in words ‘cause you don’t have the guts to do it face to face."

It transpired that year that Stallone had been having an affair with supermodel Janice Dickinson and the relationship with Flavin ended.

Speaking during a 1994 interview with PEOPLE, Flavin had previously explained how the break-up had happened.

Sylvester Stallone and Jennifer Flavin. (Image: Getty)

"He sent me a six-page handwritten letter, in pen. It was pretty sloppy," she said. "You can't just write somebody off in a letter after six years. It's not like I was going to try to beg him to come back to me or anything. I just wanted to talk."

However, the pair ended up reconciling and rekindling their relationship and marrying in 1997, and Stallone and Flavin had three daughters: Scarlet, Sistine and Sophia.

The relationship has had another rocky moment since, as Flavin filed for divorce in a Florida court.

However, soon after the divorce papers were issued, Stallone and the former model reconciled decided against breaking up.

Speaking to Hannity, Stallone said: "I mean I couldn’t live without her.

"I mean she is my everything. My sun and my moon. Everything."