Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Ant McPartlin and Lisa Armstrong were together for 23 years

Ant McPartlin has confirmed he is divorcing Lisa Armstrong after 11 years of marriage.

The presenter, who co-hosts several ITV shows with Declan Donnelly, released a statement on Sunday, asking for privacy "for both himself, Lisa and their immediate families".

The couple met in 1994 when they were performing as singers on the Smash Hits tour in Newcastle.

They were together for 23 years and married in 2007.

The Sun is also reporting that Armstrong has hired lawyers Harbottle and Lewis to negotiate a £31m divorce settlement. The BBC has requested a comment from the firm.

The Bafta-winning star spent two months in rehab last year after admitting his painkiller and alcohol addiction.

It stemmed from a painful knee operation in 2015, when Armstrong - a TV make-up artist - and Donnelly encouraged him to get help.

Image copyright PA Image caption Ant and Dec returned to screens in November 2017

The 42-year-old, who presents Britain's Got Talent, I'm A Celebrity and Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway, spoke to The Sun on Sunday last year about his difficult time.

"I was at the point where anything - prescription drugs, non-prescription drugs - I would take," he said.

"And take them with alcohol, which is ridiculous. The doctors told me, 'You could have killed yourself'."

He revealed he was clean from drugs and alcohol in August and returned to presenting duties in November last year on I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here.

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