James McAvoy and Anne-Marie Duff have revealed they are getting divorced after nine years of marriage

The X-Men: Apocalypse actor and his wife - who welcomed a child, Brendan, into the world together in 2010 - confirmed the news in a statement on Friday almost a decade after tying the knot.
Speaking to PEOPLE, the couple said: "It is with tremendous sadness that we have come to the decision to divorce.
"We enter this next phase with continued friendship, love and respect for one another and the shared focus of caring for our son.

Anne-Marie Duff and James McAvoy at EE BAFTA British Academy Film Awards

"We ask that you respect our and, most importantly, our child’s privacy during this time."
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The pair first met while working on Shameless, in which Duff played the love interest of her future husband's character.

The couple were keen to keep their relationship private

In 2006, the couple tied the knot in a quiet ceremony, and chose to keep their relationship private throughout their marriage.
Speaking a year after their wedding, McAvoy revealed they liked to have "a normal life".

He told The Washington Post: "We don't talk about each other much and we don't turn up together at lots of events. We both really rejoice in having a normal life."