Jennifer Lopez is going to be a single woman again.
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"We have decided to end our marriage," the couple told Us Weekly in a joint statement late Friday afternoon. "This was a very difficult decision. We have come to an amicable conclusion on all matters."
"It is a painful time for all involved, and we appreciate the respect of our privacy at this time."
Lopez and Anthony wed in 2004 and have two children together, three-year-old twins Max and Emme. The wedding was the second for Anthony and the third for Lopez, who previously had brief marriages to Ojani Noa and Cris Judd.
While there hasn't been an official announcement yet, E! News reported Lopez has agreed to return for American Idol's upcoming eleventh season earlier this week.
Lopez -- who joined the show as part of last season's judging shakeup alongside fellow judge Steven Tyler -- had teased she'd be making a big announcement during an appearance on NBC's Today show on Monday and disappointed Idol fans, who had assumed she'd be announcing her decision to return to the show, when she promoted an upcoming concert instead.
According to prior reports, Lopez received $12 million to serve as a member of Idol's panel and has been looking for an increase to return (unlike Tyler, who signed a multi-year-contract, Lopez's judging deal was only for one season).
Last month, the singer and actress said she was "on the fence" about reprising her judging role and American Idol had reportedly begun discussing possible replacements for Lopez in case they could not reach a deal.
"I don't know. I haven't been forced to make a decision and I'm glad about that. I had an amazing time doing it and I loved it, but I have a lot of other things happening. It's going to come down to making a choice of what I really want to do for the next year. We're not really at the breaking point of like, 'You have to make a decision right now!' So, I'm not," Lopez said during an appearance on a BBC Radio program in the U.K. last month.
While Lopez had suggested her busy schedule would prevent her from making a future commitment to Idol, InTouch Weekly had subsequently reported Anthony's desire to have her spend more time with him was the real cause of her hesitation.
"Jennifer signed a one-year contract with an option to renew," a source told InTouch in its July 4 issue. "She's ready to commit to a few more seasons because she loves the job and the money, but Marc wants her to quit so she can spend more time with him."
About The Author: Steven Rogers
