Alan Ritchson Announces Separation From Wife After 20 Years of Marriage

Alan Ritchson and his wife are splitting up ... with the actor announcing the sad news in a social media post on Saturday.

The "Reacher" star shared the statement in a joint text post with his wife, Catherine Ritchson ... writing, "After twenty years together, Cat and I have decided to end our marriage and continue alongside one another in a different way."

The two say they grew up together ... and they still plan to raise their three children as a team.

Alan and Cat note nothing will ever diminish their years together ... or the love and respect they continue to share. Their goal, they say, is to give each other room to grow as people.

They're asking for privacy -- for the sake of their children -- at this time.

TMZ has also confirmed through legal documents that this split isn't a snap decision ... because he actually filed for divorce in December. The two reconciled back in March, but it sounds like it's just time for the pair to split up completely.

Alan and Cat actually met in a ballet class when they were just teenagers ... though it only resulted in a summer fling. A mutual friend reconnected them years later, and they married in 2006.

Alan has dealt with significant personal issues in recent months. He was involved in a physical altercation with a neighbor ... though no one was charged. Alan has insisted his neighbor was the instigator -- and called it one of the scariest moments of his life.