Yorke and printmaker Rachel Owen, who met while they were students at the University of Exeter in England, have two children - Noah, born in 2001, and daughter Agnes, born in 2004.

The rocker confirmed the rumour of a split in a statement released on Saturday (15Aug15).

He writes, "Rachel and I have separated. After 23 highly creative and happy years, for various reasons we have gone our separate ways. It's perfectly amicable and has been common knowledge for some time."