Fergie and Josh Duhamel announce separation

After eight years of marriage, Fergie and Josh Duhamel are going their separate ways.

The couple - who have four-year-old son Axl together - announced today they had actually separated earlier this year.

“With absolute love and respect we decided to separate as a couple earlier this year,” the couple said in a joint statement.

“To give our family the best opportunity to adjust, we wanted to keep this a private matter before sharing it with the public. We are and will always be united in our support of each other and our family.”

The 42-year-old singer and the 'Transformers' star didn't give a reason for their split in their statement.

The pair hadn't been seen together in public for some time, so it remains unclear when they called time on their relationship.