Avril Lavigne & Deryck Whibley Confirm Split

After reports of a split between pop stars Avril Lavigne and Deryck Whibley hit the web in recent days, the singer has decided to clear the air herself with a statement confirming that their marriage of more than three years has indeed ended.

In a post titled "Moving forward on a positive note" on her MySpace blog, Avril writes:

"Deryck and I have been together for 6 and a half years. We have been friends since I was 17, started dating when I was 19, and married when I was 21. I am grateful for our time together, and I am grateful and blessed for our remaining friendship. I admire Deryck and have a great amount of respect for him. He is the most amazing person I know and I love him with all my heart. Deryck and I are separating and moving forward on a positive note.

Thank you to all my family, friends and fans for all your support."

Minutes after Avril's MySpace post, Deryck had his turn with a blog entry labeled "MOVING FORWARD......." that reads:

The past 6 and a half years have been the most amazing years of my life. It's sad it has come to an end but Avril and I are still family and moving forward in the most positive way possible. Our decision to part ways is amicable and she holds a special place in my heart and forever will be a great and amazing friend.

Thanks to all our family, friends and fans for all the support.

Deryck

The two Canadian rockers were married in July 2006, but have been dogged in recent months by rumors of a split.