Jessica Simpson and husband Eric Johnson have confirmed they are divorcing—just days after the singer revealed she and her three kids were forced to flee her $18 million Hidden Hills mansion amid the devastating California wildfires.
Reports first started to emerge on Jan. 13 that the pair’s 10-year marriage had come to an end, hours before Simpson confirmed the news in a statement issued to Entertainment Tonight, revealing that the duo had been “living separately,” suggesting that Johnson, 45, had moved out of their shared home, which she bought in 2013.
“Eric and I have been living separately navigating a painful situation in our marriage,” she said, exactly two days after the couple’s marital home was put back on the market for the discounted price of $17.9 million.
The shocking news comes just days after the A-listers joined the growing list of stars that were forced to evacuate their California mansions due to the fires that are tearing through Los Angeles.
Simpson revealed on Instagram Stories on Jan. 9 that she was evacuating her home—although, at the time, it was thought that Johnson was still living in the abode with her and their three children, Maxwell, 12, Ace, 11, and Birdie, 5.
The singer and her kids were among the nearly 180,000 people who were placed under evacuation orders as firefighters tirelessly attempted the contain the flames, which have taken the lives of at least 24 people thus far and destroyed thousands of structures, per Cal Fire.
In a statement shared with People days after she fled her home, Simpson further explained the state of their marriage and how they will continue to care for their children throughout their divorce, saying, “Our children come first, and we are focusing on what is best for them. We are grateful for all of the love and support that has been coming our way, and appreciate privacy right now as we work through this as a family.”
The mom of three and Johnson said “I do” in July 2014 during an intimate ceremony in Montecito, CA. They then basked in newlywed bliss before welcoming their three children.
Simpson, who was previously married to Nick Lachey from 2002 to 2006, and Johnson were thought to have celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary last summer; however, a source told People that the couple “very much live separate lives.”
It is not currently known whether Johnson was at their shared home when his estranged spouse and their children evacuated the property, with Simpson only revealing on social media that they had “stayed as long as [they] could” before making the decision to leave their property.
At the time, she shared a horrifying image of the seven-bedroom, 10.5-bathroom abode being engulfed in plumes of smoke.
She captioned the image, which was shared with her over 6.3 million Instagram followers, “We stayed as long as we could.”
The family is one of many who have been displaced due to the natural disaster, which has forced residents in the Pacific Palisades, Altadena, Calabasas, Hidden Hills, Hollywood, and more areas in Southern California to evacuate.
Jessica purchased her Hidden Hills mansion, which sprawls across 13,274 square feet, from Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne in 2013, paying $11.5 million for the property.
However, in 2023, the “Irresistible” songstress and her partner made the decision to list the home for a whopping $22 million, with Jessica revealing at the time that she was “so happy” spending more time in Nashville, TN, where she had relocated her family.
Questions may now be raised as to whether the decision to list the property was actually a foreshadowing of the breakdown of Simpson and Johnson’s marriage—particularly given that the home was put back on the market at the discounted price of $17.9 million, just two days before the couple’s split was confirmed.
Although Simpson appears to have been living in the home when the fires began tearing through Los Angeles, she did in fact moved her family to Tennessee in 2023 to return to her music roots and live a more low-key lifestyle.
Although she has been enjoying a more humble life in Nashville, the mom of three was spending the majority of her time these past few weeks in California, with her telling fans that she didn’t want to leave her mansion when the wildfires broke out.
Despite her backyard becoming engulfed in smoke, Simpson’s house is still standing as the fires continue to take over the state.
In its listing, the home is described as a “private retreat” that offers “mesmerizing city lights and mountain views that will leave you breathless.”
The listing adds: “Awe-inspiring features abound, including eight spacious en-suite bedrooms with beautifully appointed baths, a guest house complete with a kitchenette, and an intricately paneled study featuring a warm fireplace.”