Jessica Simpson and NFL star husband Eric Johnson end marriage after 10 years together

Singer Jessica Simpson has announced she has split from her husband of 10 years, former American football player Eric Johnson, in a joint statement released to US media

Jessica Simpson and her NFL husband Eric Johnson have parted ways after 10 years of marriage(Image: BuzzFoto via Getty Images)

Jessica Simpson and her husband Eric Johnson have called time on their marriage after a decade together. The 44 year old songstress revealed that she and the ex-NFL hunk, aged 45, "have been living separately" amid "a painful situation in our marriage".

A statement given to ET and People reads: "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 appreciate privacy right now as we work through this as a family."

The duo, who are proud parents to three children, said 'I do' back in July 2014 at the lush San Ysidro Ranch in Montecito, California, when they professed to being "overwhelmed with complete happiness and love". Even post-nuptials, Jess and Eric made a point of how crucial it was to get hitched in front of their kiddos, Maxwell Drew and Ace Knute already part of their brood.

They added: "To say 'I do' in front of family, friends and, most importantly, our children has been the happiest moment of our lives."

Jessica Simpson and Eric Johnson have called time on their decade long romance(Image: BuzzFoto via Getty Images)

But whispers of trouble in paradise began last year when Jess, a pop queen with seven studio albums under her belt, was clocked without her wedding ring during a night out, reports the Mirror.

Jessica Simpson and her beau Eric have been flying under the radar, not having been seen together since their little one, Birdie, aged five, celebrated graduation from kindergarten back in June. Fans noticed that Jessica's Instagram has been missing Eric since they shared an Easter snap on April 9.

And it's not just the photos – Eric, known for his stint with the San Francisco 49ers, was also spotted without his wedding ring last year. But the speculation really ramped up when Jessica dropped a cryptic bombshell on social media on November 11 that seemed to be throwing some serious shade at someone near and dear: "Interviews in my Nashville music room where I unearthed my singular magic This comeback is personal, it's an apology to myself for putting up with everything I did not deserve," she spilled.

Jessica Simpson's cryptic comment last year sparked rumours of separation among fans(Image: WireImage)

The pop icon's debut album 'Sweet Kisses', which hit shelves in 1999, was a smash in the US with sales of two million, while her follow-up in 2001, 'Irresistible', snagged a gold cert from the RIAA, and 'In This Skin' shifted three million stateside.