French President Nicolas Sarkozy has asked his wife Carla Bruni to end a holiday with her lover in Thailand and return home, a news report said. Sarkozy is also travelling to Britain on Friday without his spouse.

Sarkozy has asked Carla, 43, to end a holiday with her alleged lover, singer Benjamin Biolay, 37, and even chartered a plane to bring her home.

The French president confirmed Wednesday night that he will travel to Britain without Carla, amid reports that the marriage is over.

The president is travelling to London to meet British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and opposition leader David Cameron. The Elysee Palace has confirmed that Carla 'will not be travelling to Britain Friday', The Sun reported.

French newspaper Journal du Dimanche has said: 'The presidential marriage is breathing its last'.

Sarkozy decided to travel alone after media reports said that his wife, a former model, had jetted to Thailand with Biolay several weeks ago. The pair are old friends.

The holiday 'was cut short by Nicolas Sarkozy himself. The president chartered a plane to bring his wife back to Paris,' Swiss newspaper Tribune de Geneve wrote.

According to rumours, the lovers were reported to be living together in the capital. And, Sarkozy, 55, is said to be having his own fling with environment minister Chantal Jouanno.

However a spokesman for Jouanno, 40, said she was 'scandalised by this rumour'.

Sarkozy and Carla married in 2008 after a three-month romance.