This news really surprised me! Alan Ritchson and his wife Catherine have split after twenty years of marriage. I’ve covered Ritchson’s interviews in recent years, and he always talked about his wife with awe and respect. Catherine really got him through some of the toughest moments of his life, and he’s always prioritized her and their sons. Ritchson has also been targeted by right-wingers in recent years, especially after he publicly bad-mouthed Donald Trump and his supporters. Like, I’m sure that’s taken a toll, and I’m sure we don’t even know the half of the MAGA backlash on Ritchson and his family.
Alan Ritchson and Catherine Ritchson are separating. The Reacher star, 43, and his wife Catherine announced their split after two decades of marriage in a joint Instagram post shared on Saturday, Sept. 12.
“After twenty years together, Cat and I have decided to end our marriage and continue alongside one another in a different way,” the post began. “We grew up together. We built a life and a family together. And we are raising three incredible boys who will always be the center of our world,” their statement continued, referring to their three sons Calem, Edan and Amory.
They went on to say that “nothing can diminish” the years that they spent together and “the love and respect we will always share.”
“The best gift we can give one another — and our boys — right now is friendship, grace and a commitment to becoming the strongest co-parents we can be,” they wrote, adding, “We also want to give each other room to grow into the people we are becoming.”
They shared on the Instagram post, which restricted comments, that “change is hard enough without the whole world weighing in” and asked for “privacy” for their family at this time.
“We hope, especially for the sake of our boys, that you will allow our family to move through this chapter with privacy and compassion. Thanks for supporting us as we continue making the health and happiness of our family our priority,” concluded the message, which was signed by “Cat and Alan.”
TMZ, citing legal documents in a Sept. 12 report, said that “he actually filed for divorce in December” and that “the two reconciled back in March” before they shared their separation news on Instagram on Saturday. PEOPLE reached out to Alan’s reps for comment on Sept. 12 but did not receive an immediate response.
The Runner actor met Catherine while attending high school. They eventually reconnected when Catherine was attending the University of Florida when Alan visited Miami for a modeling shoot. The couple wed on May 12, 2006. While they have mainly kept their relationship out of the spotlight, they have shared tidbits over the years.
Lord, please don’t let this turn into some seedy scandal. I really like Ritchson and I want to believe he’s authentic and a good guy. Now, I actually believe that “We also want to give each other room to grow into the people we are becoming” is probably pretty accurate. Ritchson seems like he’s really into self-help and self-discovery, and he’s talked about his past use of MDMA to treat what was his then-undiagnosed bipolar disorder. I wish them both the best.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
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- Catherine Ritchson, Alan Ritchson attends the ‘Fast X’ film premiere, the tenth film in the Fast & Furious Saga, at Colosseum in Rome, Italy, May 12, 2023. 12 May 2023,Image: 775591410, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no , Credit line: Maria Laura Antonelli/AGF Foto/Avalon
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- Alan Ritchson attends the ‘Fast X’ film premiere, the tenth film in the Fast & Furious Saga, at Colosseum in Rome, Italy, May 12, 2023. 12 May 2023,Image: 775591473, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Maria Laura Antonelli/AGF Foto/Avalon
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- UNIVERSAL CITY, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, USA – MAY 20: Catherine Ritchson and husband Alan Ritchson arrive at the Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project (CTAOP) 2023 Block Party held at the Universal Studios Backlot on May 20, 2023 in Universal City, Los Angeles, California, United States.,Image: 777901615, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no , Pictured: Catherine Ritchson, Alan Ritchson , Credit line: Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency/Avalon
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- UNIVERSAL CITY, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, USA – MAY 20: Catherine Ritchson and husband Alan Ritchson arrive at the Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project (CTAOP) 2023 Block Party held at the Universal Studios Backlot on May 20, 2023 in Universal City, Los Angeles, California, United States.,Image: 777901622, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no , Pictured: Catherine Ritchson, Alan Ritchson , Credit line: Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency/Avalon
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- Alan Ritchson mit Ehefrau Catherine Ritchson bei der Amazon Freevee und Prime Video Winter Wonderland Holiday Party in den Amazon MGM Studios. Culver City, 13.12.2023 *** Alan Ritchson with wife Catherine Ritchson at the Amazon Freevee and Prime Video Winter Wonderland Holiday Party at Amazon MGM Studios Culver City, 13 12 2023 Foto:xD.xStarbuckx/xFuturexImagex wonderland_3260,Image: 829385783, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no , Credit line: IMAGO/Dave Starbuck/Avalon
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- Alan Ritchson mit Ehefrau Catherine Ritchson bei der Amazon Freevee und Prime Video Winter Wonderland Holiday Party in den Amazon MGM Studios. Culver City, 13.12.2023 *** Alan Ritchson with wife Catherine Ritchson at the Amazon Freevee and Prime Video Winter Wonderland Holiday Party at Amazon MGM Studios Culver City, 13 12 2023 Foto:xD.xStarbuckx/xFuturexImagex wonderland_3259,Image: 829385787, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no, Credit line: IMAGO/Dave Starbuck / Avalon
Rumors are already circulating that he’s expecting a baby with someone else. I hope he doesn’t turn into one of those fathers who focus on their new family and forget about the children they had before. After 20 years of pulling him together and cleaning up his mess, his wife deserves something better.
He filed from divorce in December, so the baby rumour seems unlikely.
It’s possible for people to split because they grew apart, you know?
He’s become massively famous in the last 3 years, not easy to go from ‘husband always at home’ to ‘husband never at home’.
How does that make it unlikely?
The divorce is already done and dusted from most sources – even if not quite official. They’ve been broken up for sometime. Even if he got someone else pregnant, it seems like their marriage has been over for awhile. That said, there’s nothing out there that he has someone else.
It’s one thing if he were having an affair. But it seems like they were making sure the kids were good before announcing the end publicly. He moved out. What he does personally is his business.
Exactly. He’s been saying for months in interviews for Reacher, War Machine, etc, promotion that he and his wife were separated, that his bipolar disorder makes him hard to live with, and that he’d been ‘thrown out’, that he can’t call her for support anymore. Maybe I’m paying too much attention to his interviews for reasons…. But I don’t know why this divorce announcement is being pitched as a surprise in the media. He’s mentioned it so many times….
Thanks for that info, Hillary IsAlwaysRight. I like him but had only seen a few clips of the interviews so I didn’t know he’d been talking about it. I’m also kind of glad to hear that it was his wife having enough, not him discarding her. He has always seemed like a LOT, and they have three teen/preteens in the house.
Awww. I wish them both well. I really appreciate his rants about Trump, MAGA followers not being Christian, Bernie Sanders being a hero, etc. And my ex was bipolar so I appreciate her.
I’m struggling not to armchair diagnose him, but as someone who’s lived with being bipolar for 30+ years, some of his interviews really seem like he’s unmedicated. He can come off as very manic. They cover them for Reacher, but he did an interview with Vanity Fair talking about his tattoos; he’s gotten 23 (!!) in the last two years, and they’re not small.
I think his mental health is part of it, but I do remember him posting on insta (which I have been of off since ‘24) about when he was on location somewhere remote and having a hard time getting his meds. It’s hard to get the meds fully dialed in, is my understanding, and I know he’s been on testosterone for the past few years. He ended his relationship with his long time manager sometime in the past year also, which at the time I wondered about.
I was really sad to see this, they both seem to be really nice people. She was definitely a grounding force in his life, I hope he stays healthy. I really enjoy Reacher and watching him push back on Christian nationalism.
Apparently their divorce is done and has been for a few months. They waited until after everything was settled and the kids were adjusted to announce it, which honestly is the best thing to do.
I agree. It seems like a very mature and responsible way to handle the situation. But if he rolls out with some 26 year old “model” in the next six months, I take it all back.
I am not really shocked when people who got together young split a couple of decades later. It’s great that it works for some but you both change a lot from your 20’s to your 40’s and sometimes that works but sometimes it doesn’t.
20 years is nothing to sneeze at. Maybe they’re at a point in life where they work better as friends instead of spouses.
Exactly. Better to move on rather than stay together and be miserable
While I find Alan quite physically attractive, he strikes me as someone who would be exhausting to be in a relationship with. He seems to be high energy and that works for some people but things change, especially after kids.
I really hope this is a case of them growing apart rather than the fame going to his head and he did something stupid. It’s sad when a long time marriage like that ends, especially after he’s skyrocketed to fame as fast as he has.
Twenty years is a good innings. They’ve had three children, and professionally, they’re in a more stable place for both, so I’m not mad.
Good luck to them both. I do like Alan Ritchson, he seems to be charming and open to self improvement and reflection, although you’d hope that he’ll stay on top of his medication for bipolar.
Apparently they’ve been split for awhile. They are just making it official now that the divorce is happening. Wish them both well. 20 years is a good run.
So…wait. This means I now have a chance with Alan?
But seriously…
He seems like a nice guy, but exhausting lol. Add in a mental health diagnosis, sudden massive increase in fame, more roles that may require physical separation….it can take its toll and neither are bad people for realizing they cannot deal with it together. I wish them all the best.