Natasha Hamilton and Ritchie Neville confirm split five months after engagement

Pop singers Natasha Hamilton and Ritchie Neville have announced that they're splitting up, just five months after revealing that they were engaged.

Natasha, who shot to fame as part of girl band Atomic Kitten, and Ritchie, who was part of boy band 5ive, released a statement to the Mail Online, explaining, 'After careful consideration, we have decided to amicably end our relationship.'

'There is no one reason for the failure of our relationship. Unfortunately it's just the way things have turned out and it's no one's fault.'

'In the interests of our family we remain good friends and we hope that people will respect our privacy at this time.'

The couple have one daughter together, Ella Rose, aged one. Natasha is also mum to sons Josh, from her relationship with Fran Cosgrove, Harry, with former partner Gavin Hatcher, and Alfie, with restauranteur Riad Erraji.

Both Natasha and Ritchie have been married once before - Natasha to Riad, from whom she split in 2013, and Ritchie to Australian model Emily Scott.

Natasha and Ritchie welcomed daughter Ella in October 2014, having announced the pregnancy just seven months into their relationship

The pair, who met whilst filming ITV2's The Big Reunion in 2013, announced their engagement in October 2015, with Natasha flashing her ring on the cover of OK! magazine and calling the proposal, which took place in Rome, 'perfect'.

Ritchie added, 'I knew I was about to do it and then all of a sudden I started shaking and adrenaline was rushing through my body.'

'It was so romantic and it couldn’t have been more perfect. I felt overwhelmed and like I was in a movie.'

They were said to be aiming for a 2017 wedding, as they wanted their daughter to be old enough to participate in and remember the ceremony.

'I think we’ll wait until Ella is old enough to be a part of the day. I want her to be our flower girl,' Natasha said at the time.