After 11 years of marriage, Backstreet Boys’ AJ McLean and Rochelle Diana McLean have decided to part ways by mutual consent, according to reports.
According to TMZ, the pair said in a joint statement, “Marriage is hard, but worth it.” “We have decided to temporarily separate in order to work on ourselves and our marriage with the hopes of building a stronger future together.”
The couple said they plan to “get back together and continue to nurture the love we have for each other and for our family.”
“We ask for respect and privacy at this time,” he added. “Isolation is hard enough without comment, please be kind and remember there are children involved.”
AJ, 45, and Rochelle, 41, a makeup artist and hairstylist, were working as waitresses when they met in 2008. They married in 2011 in a Gothic-themed wedding at the Beverly Hills Hotel. AJ had proposed to Rochelle a year ago while celebrating her 32nd birthday by going down on one knee at a Las Vegas nightclub.
The pair have two daughters, Elliott, 10, and Lyrica, who recently celebrated 6 years.
AJ credits his wife for her support during his battle with drug abuse. He was undergoing treatment since 2001 before becoming sober in 2021.
,[Rochelle] McLean told People in 2020, “She was out of her wits with me.” “If I were her, I’d quit, but she’s always been able to see through the BS for who I really am.”
McLean has been on the road for most of last year for the Backstreet Boys DNA World Tour. The boy band recently wrapped shows in Hong Kong and are on break until the end of April, kicking off the second leg of the tour in Iceland, then setting out to countries like Egypt, Saudi Arabia, India and South Africa.