Jennie Garth and Peter Facinelli
Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic
The public announcement of their split was painful enough, but Peter Facinelli and Jennie Garth were blindsided – and deeply hurt – by the almost immediate flurry of Internet reports speculating infidelity had triggered the demise of their 11-year marriage.So to set the record straight, the actors tell PEOPLE exclusively: "There are rumors out there which are completely untrue and hurtful to our family. We just want to make it very clear – there are no third parties involved."
The statement, made jointly by Facinelli, 38, and Garth, 39, comes a day after they jointly announced their plans to divorce.
"While we have decided to end our marriage, we both share the same deep love and devotion to our children. We remain dedicated to raising our beautiful daughters together. We ask for privacy and respect during this time," they said Tuesday in a statement to PEOPLE.
The pair, who have three daughters – Luca, 14, Lola, 9, and Fiona, 5 – met on the set of TV movie An Unfinished Affair in 1996, and married in 2001.
Facinelli is known for his roles in the Twilight films and on Nurse Jackie, while Garth played Kelly Taylor on the iconic Beverly Hills, 90210.