He’s about to get really, madly, divorced.
Savage Garden frontman Darren Hayes, 51, has officially filed for divorce from husband Richard Cullen, 53, after 17 years of marriage.
According to TMZThe Australian pop star filed his annulment papers in Los Angeles on Monday, citing irreconcilable differences.
It comes just months after the former couple announced their divorce in May.
In an emotional Instagram post, Hayes admitted that he had kept his marital problems a secret for “the past two years” despite being an “open book” when it came to his music.
Savage Garden frontman Darren Hayes (left) has filed for divorce from his husband Richard Cullen (right) after 17 years of marriage
“After seventeen years of marriage to the best person I have ever met, Richard and I have chosen to accept that our union has come to rest in a great and beautiful way,” he wrote.
“In honor of this realization, we parted ways earlier this year and have supported each other emotionally through this huge change in our lives.”
Hayes went on to answer the “ugly questions” about what led to the breakup of his marriage to avoid any hurtful speculation.
‘No, there is no scandal to report, no infidelity, culprit or third party. It’s just life. We adore each other and we always will,” he said.
‘We consider our marriage to be our greatest collaboration. What we have achieved together, no one can ever take away from us. We are still best friends. We always will be.
“Plus, we have a very cute and needy labradoodle to care for and keep us occupied with joy.”
Hayes concluded his post by praising his fans for their loyalty over the years.
“Thank you for always supporting our union – and for being so gracious with this delicate thing we created. Love Darren (and Richard),” he wrote, referencing his 2009 album This Delicate Thing We’ve Made.
In an emotional Instagram post in May, Hayes admitted that he had kept his marital problems a secret for “the past two years” despite being an “open book” when it came to his music.
“After seventeen years of marriage to the best person I have ever met, Richard and I have chosen to accept that our union has come to rest in a great and beautiful way,” he wrote at the time.
Hayes accompanied the post with a paper crane artwork that Cullen created for the album cover of This Delicate Thing We’ve Made.
Hours after Hayes confirmed the split, Cullen posted his own statement on Instagram, saying, “Today the sun sets. Tomorrow it will rise again. And there’s nothing you can do to stop it.’
The news comes days after Hayes hinted at personal issues in a lengthy Instagram post about his single Feels Like It’s Over, which tells the story of a breakup.
The music video shows Hayes going through a painful separation from a male partner.
“Never in my entire career has art imitated life as well as it has this year,” he wrote alongside an image from the music video.
He then praised his co-star Casey James and director Andrew Huebscher for their support during an emotional creative journey.
“In many ways this is the end of an era. “I poured my soul into this album, this tour and the people I met along the way and yes, my heart was broken in the end,” he added.
‘Was it worth it? Don’t know. But it’s all real. I don’t know how else to be.’
The former couple met online in 2004 and had their first date on the steps of Westminster University in London, where Cullen was teaching at the time.
Cullen was Hayes’ second husband, following his first marriage to high school sweetheart Colby Taylor in 1994.
Taylor, a make-up artist, was married to Hayes when he rose to fame as the frontman of Savage Garden in 1997.
Cullen was Hayes’ second husband, following his first marriage to his high school sweetheart Colby Taylor in 1994. (Hayes and Taylor are pictured in Universal City, California, in 1998)
“We were like Will and Grace – inseparable best friends,” he said of Taylor during an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald.
‘She is one of the strongest women I know. Colby was there from the beginning of Savage Garden and the cyclone of madness that followed.”
Savage Garden, consisting of Hayes and guitarist Daniel Jones, formed in 1993 and produced a string of No. 1 hits, such as To the Moon and Back and Truly Madly Deeply.
The band called it quits in 2001. Hayes pursued a solo career, while Jones married children’s entertainer and former Hi-5 star Kathleen De Leon.
Savage Garden, made up of Darren and guitarist Daniel Jones (right), formed in 1993 and produced a string of number one hits, including To the Moon and Back and The Animal Song