Denise Van Outen and Lee Mead have confirmed that they have ended their four-year marriage.

The Strictly Come Dancing finalist, 39, and her musical star husband, 32, have called it a day but remain good friends, said the Daily Mirror.

TV presenter Denise's agent said in a statement: "Following continued speculation, Denise Van Outen and Lee Mead are sad to confirm they have decided to separate. The couple remain the best of friends, with their daughter Betsy as their number one priority."

Denise and Lee met in 2007 when he was the winning contestant on TV contest Any Dream Will Do to find a new West End star, which she was judging. They got married in a small ceremony in the Seychelles two years later and shortly afterwards announced they were expecting their first child, Betsy, now three.

A source told The Sun: "The spark just faded after a while. But they're still best mates and hope it will stay that way. There hasn't been a big blowout but they are now having a trial separation and coming to terms with going their separate ways.

"They hardly saw each other over the last nine months because of their work commitments. The distance just became too difficult to overcome. They had grown apart and fallen out of love."

Denise is now said to be throwing herself into work by fronting new Channel 4 show Name That Toon, with panellists linked to cartoon characters.

Lee had just returned to the UK in May after a long stint living in Los Angeles where he was trying to carve out a career as a TV actor, but he's now said to have moved out of the couple's North London flat and is staying in the West End.

In April Denise said: "To be honest, with you it is really difficult. We just haven't seen each other. I started on Strictly in September and we have literally been like ships passing in the night. That's what our jobs are like. We haven't really spent any proper time together for six months. We've just been trying to juggle everything. And when we are together we're at home.

"We've never done the whole red carpet thing as a couple. I mean, I'd say this has been the hardest few months out of all of it."