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Jessica Simpson and Eric Johnson are taking time apart after a decade of marriage. The singer, actress, and entrepreneur, 44, confirmed the separation from her former NFL player husband, 45, in a statement to PEOPLE magazine. "Eric and I have been living separately, navigating a painful situation in our marriage," Simpson shared. "Our children come first, and we are focusing on what is best for them. We are grateful for all of the love and support that has been coming our way, and we appreciate privacy right now as we work through this as a family."
The couple, who tied the knot in July 2014 after four years of dating, share three children: Maxwell "Maxi" Drew, 12, Ace Knute, 11, and Birdie Mae, 5. While they have kept much of their family life private in recent years, their separation marks a significant shift in their decade-long relationship.
The news of their split comes just weeks after Jessica Simpson's ex-husband, Nick Lachey, candidly discussed the emotional toll of their high-profile divorce during Season 3 of Netflix's "The Ultimatum." Lachey, 51, opened up about the "scars" left by his 2006 divorce from Simpson while offering advice to a contestant hesitant about marriage.
"I, too, was previously married, divorced, so I understand the hurt, the scars that exist from that," Nick Lachey said. Despite the pain of his past, he shared how he found hope and happiness with his second wife, Vanessa Lachey, 44, whom he married in July 2011. "Don't let your past define your future," he advised. "What I truly always wanted in my life—which was to have a beautiful marriage and a beautiful family—if I hadn't retained my belief in that, I wouldn't have ever realized the beautiful life I have with this woman."
Nick and Jessica were once among the most talked-about couples of the early 2000s. After meeting at a Hollywood Christmas Parade in 1998, they married in October 2002 and became reality TV sensations with their MTV show "Newlyweds: Nick & Jessica" (2003-2005). While the series made them pop culture icons, it also exposed cracks in their marriage, which ended in 2006 due to irreconcilable differences.
Since their split, both have moved on to build new lives. Nick shares three children—Camden John, 12, Brooklyn Elisabeth, 9, and Phoenix Robert, 7—with Vanessa Lachey, while Jessica and Eric created a family of their own, blending Jessica's booming fashion empire with Eric's focus on raising their children.
While the specifics of Jessica Simpson's separation from Eric Johnson remain private, the singer's focus on her three children and the well-being of her family shows her commitment to moving forward with grace.