Ioan Gruffudd and Alice Evans Say They 'Remain Committed to Our Children' After She Tweets That He's Leaving Her

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Ioan Gruffudd and wife Alice Evans are asking for privacy after Evans tweeted that her husband has allegedly decided to leave her after 13 years of marriage.

In a joint statement obtained by PEOPLE on Tuesday, the two said, "As you can imagine, this is an incredibly difficult time for our family and we remain committed to our children. Thank you for respecting our privacy."

Evans, who met Gruffudd on the set of their 2000 film 102 Dalmatians and married him in 2007, posted a since-deleted tweet on Tuesday (captured by Page Six and multiple outlets) that claimed her husband, 47, had told her and their two children the "sad news" that he was leaving their home.

"My beloved husband/soulmate of 20 years, Ioan Gruffudd, has announced he is to leave his family, starting next week," Evans, 49, tweeted. "Me and our young daughters girls are very confused and sad."

"We haven't been given a reason except that he 'no longer loves me.' I'm so sorry," she added.

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Gruffudd — who currently stars on the Australian drama Harrow and is also known for his roles in Titanic and King Arthur — tied the knot with Evans, an English actress who has appeared in series like LOST and The Originals, in September 2007.

The couple had kept silent about their long-term relationship and engagement. But at the MTV Movie Awards in June 2007, a proud Gruffudd beamed while discussing his then-upcoming nuptials.

"I am heavily involved. Both Alice and I are doing it ourselves," he told PEOPLE at the time. "We did the invitations, which was enough of a burden, and now of course everybody's saying they want to come — so we're over by about 20 people, but we'll work it out."

The spouses went on to welcome two daughters, now aged 7 and 11.

Alice Evans / instagram

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Ahead of their older daughter's birth, Gruffudd told PEOPLE he had "basically been the best husband in the world" during Evans' pregnancy ("or trying to be," he noted).

During his wife's pregnancy, the Welsh actor said his role has changed many times.

"You go from being lover to husband, lackey, taxi driver. You just have to have so many caps on. Listen, it's a blessing that I am here, at home not working, being able to be there for her," Gruffudd said.

Still, "It's been tough," he added. "I'm sure we have no idea what we are heading into. But we both love each other so much and really hope that we will create an environment of love and happiness."

More recently in 2020, Gruffudd admitted to The Guardian that he and Evans have "struggled the past four years, making time for each other because physically we're apart."

"Alice had come back, she had been away for a week. I was showing off – 'the kids are in bed' – and she was [like], 'Yeah, you've done one week [alone], try six months,'" he said at the time.