Irish singer Ronan Keating kept his marriage split secret for more than three months to give his kids time to adjust to the news, according to his estranged wife Yvonne.
The Boyzone star confirmed on Sunday (01Apr12) that he has separated from the mother of his three children.
In a post on his Twitter.com page, he wrote, "Sadly our news is true. Thank u (sic) all for your support. Yvonne and I still love and care for each other and want to protect our kids."
The couple secretly split at the end of 2011 and kept the news quiet to protect Jack, 13, Marie, 11, and Ali, six.
In a statement, Yvonne says, "Sadly, our marriage ended late last year. We kept this news private to give everybody involved time to adjust."
The couple previously parted ways in 2010 amid allegations Keating enjoyed a fling with a dancer on tour a year prior (09) but they rekindled their relationship several months later.