Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan have announced that they are separating after being married for almost nine years and in a relationship over a decade.

The couple, who met on the set of the 2006 dance film Step Up, released a lengthy joint statement confirming the news on Monday night.

“We have lovingly chosen to separate as a couple,” reads the statement, which was released to People magazine.

“We fell deeply in love so many years ago and have had a magical journey together. Absolutely nothing has changed about how much we love one another, but love is a beautiful adventure that is taking us on different paths for now.

“There are no secrets nor salacious events at the root of our decision – just two best friends realizing it’s time to take some space and help each other live the most joyous, fulfilled lives as possible.”

Dewan and Tatum have one daughter, Everly Elizabeth Maiselle Tatum, who is almost five. In their statement, they stressed that: “We are still a family and will always be loving dedicated parents to Everly.”

The pair also gave a tongue-in-cheek nod to the phrase “alternative facts”, coined by Donald Trump’s senior aide Kellyanne Conway. They said that while it felt “odd” having to share the news of their split with the public, they recognised that “we’re living in an incredible moment in time, but it’s also a time where trust can easily get distorted into ‘alternative facts’.”

“So we want to share the truth so you know that if you didn’t read it here then it’s most certainly fiction,” they added.

Conway was much mocked for using the phrase “alternative facts” in January 2017 to defend then-White House press secretary Sean Spicer’s false claim about the size of the crowd at Trump’s inauguration.

Dewan and Tatum requested that their fans respect their privacy, and added that they would not be commenting further on the matter. 

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