LOS ANGELES - American celebrity couple Fergie and Josh Duhamel have split after eight years of marriage.

In a report by People magazine, they were quoted as saying in a joint statement: "With absolute love and respect we decided to separate as a couple earlier this year... 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 couple have a four-year-old son named Axl.

Fergie, 42, is a chart-topping singer known for her catchy singles such as Glamorous and Fergalicious. She is also the female vocalist of popular hip hop group The Black Eyed Peas.

Duhamel, 44, is an actor known for playing Major William Lennox in the immensely popular Transformers film franchise.