The star who first found fame with Irish boyband Boyzone before forging a solo career with chart-topping hits like Life Is A Rollercoaster lived together in a luxury house just outside Dublin.
 

A brief statement on the singer’s website, read: ‘With great sadness Ronan and Yvonne Keating today announce their separation. It said the split was ‘amicable.’

The statement read: ‘The separation is amicable and they will continue to work together in order to provide the best for their children.' Last night, friends expressed their shock at the break-up. 
 One said: ‘Nobody saw this coming at all. We didn’t even realise they were having problems.’ The news comes as it emerged that Keating who has reformed Boyzone in recent months had agreed to be a judge on the next series of X Factor in Australia.

That meant he would have been away from home for months, which would have put a huge strain on the couple’s marriage.
And earlier this week, Keating, 33, astonishingly admitted he was surprised Yvonne had stayed with him for the last 12 years, as he revealed he can be jealous if the former model goes out without him.
He said: 'I can’t believe Yvonne has stuck with me for so long. I still get incredibly jealous. 'The green-eyed monster rears its ugly head and brings out all my insecurities.   I don’t like it if Yvonne is out without me. I just can’t help it.'

Keating married model Yvonne Connolly, 36, in April 1988  on the Caribbean Island of Nevis. They have three children together - Jack, 11, nine-year-old Marie and Ali, four.

The star was left devastated last autumn when his former bandmate Stephen Gately tragically died. Yesterday the group appeared on show Loose Women to talk about their special tribute to bandmate Stephen Gately, who died last October. The group are staging a special tribute concert with a number of celebrity guests who will join the band on stage for some one-off special performances.

Editor: One never knows what goes on behind closed doors....

&nbs