Josh Duhamel Reveals the Real Reason Behind Fergie Breakup

Sometimes, the glamorous lifestyle can take its toll. 

Josh Duhamel is getting candid about his relationship with ex-wife Fergie, and why their Hollywood romance wasn't meant to last. 

To the suggestion that the relationship taught him you can only accept people for who they are and not what you need them to be, Josh said, "I'd say that's probably true, and she probably could say the same thing about me."

"You know I think we both agree that we're just very different," he continued, during an Oct. 4 clip from In Depth with Graham Bensinger. "And we made an awesome kid. We get along great, and we get to raise him without any acrimony."

But for the Transformers alum—who welcomed son Axl, now TK 10, with Fergie before the pair split in 2017 after 8 years of marriage—life in the spotlight took a personal toll. 

"I don't think I ever really got comfortable with it," the 50-year-old explained. "It was just a lot. I missed the simplicity of who I really am. I'm just not a guy who is comfortable doing red carpets, doing all the Hollywood stuff. I don't hate it, I'm better at it now, but it just took me a long time to really feel like I belong, like I fit in. You know Hollywood and L.A., that whole lifestyle can suck the life out of you if you're not careful."

But looking back at his time with the Black Eyed Peas singer, Josh doesn't have any regrets. 

"I've made peace with that part of my life," the Shotgun Wedding actor continued. "She and I have a great relationship. We're both raising that boy together. And there wasn't anything wrong with it. We actually had a great time, but I think we just kind of outgrew each other, and had very different interests."

He added, "But I've got no hard feelings, I truly don't. I'm very lucky that she's a kind human, I really am."

So when it comes to coparenting their son, Josh explained it's been easy, as they two have always had similar goals. 

"We both had parents who got divorced, who didn't get along so great," he revealed. "And we didn't want to go the same thing to our kid. I think that we both just wanted the same thing, and that is to create an easy place for him that isn't awkward, or uncomfortable or pressure-filled." 

And now, his son Axl is going to be a big brother, as Josh and his wife Audra Mari Duhamel are expecting their first child together. Something the 10-year-old had some initial questions about. 

"He's like, 'Wait, now, am I going to be—you're still going to love me, though, too, right?'" the Josh told Parade in an interview published Sept. 21. "I was like, 'Of course I'm going to still going to love you.' And he's like, 'I'm still going to be your firstborn son, though, right?' I'm like, 'Yeah, you're still the firstborn son!'"

He added, "He's really good with younger kids. So I think he's going to be a great older brother." 

To see more of Axl and his parents' cutest moments, keep reading. 

Fergie and Josh Duhamel snapped a photo with son Axl Jack Duhamel while attending a Pandora Summer Crush event in Los Angeles in 2016.

Axl joined mom Fergie—born Stacy Ann Ferguson—for another public outing in 2017, stepping out at a SiriusXM Studios event in New York.

Fergie and Axl snapped a selfie at a pirate party when he was 4 years old.

Fergie and Josh took their son to the Los Angeles Dodgers against the Boston Red Sox in 2016.

Josh wished his son a happy 6th birthday in 2019, writing, "Never a dull moment with this kid. Happy Birthday, Axl Jack!"

The All My Children actor added an outdoorsy photo to the birthday tribute, showing the pair making a splash during a lake trip.

Axl bonded with his grandfather Jon Patrick Ferguson in July 2020, when Fergie wrote, "Happy 73rd birthday dad!! We love you so much."

 

"Happy 7th Birthday #AxlJack," the musician wrote in 2020. "You are my world."

Her birthday post to her son also unveiled a sweet snap of him flashing a smile during a boat outing. 

"I am so grateful to be your mommy Axl Jack," the "Big Girls Don't Cry" singer captioned this photo of their Burberry matching moment in May 2023.

Josh and Axl get silly at the red carpet premiere of The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part in 2019.

Fergie marked Axl's 10th birthday in August 2023 with a series of photos of her boy, including this silly shot.

"To my caring, funny, outgoing, loving, smart, talkative, creative super hero enthusiast," she wrote in her birthday tribute. "Happy 10th birthday punky!!! I love you Axl Jack."

The father-son duo had some fun at the Monster Jam Celebrity Event in 2018.

Axl is also a big sports fan, as seen in photos with friends sporting Cristiano Ronaldo's jersey.

Proving to be a big soccer lover, Axl repped a Manchester United jersey in another shot.

For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News App