Jessica &Eric: MARRIAGE TURMOIL

AS JESSICA SIMPSON TRIES TO REVIVE HER PERFORMING CAREER, HER RELATIONSHIP WITH HUSBAND ERICJOHNSON HAS HIT A BREAKING POINT.

JESSICA SIMPSON was every bit of a relatable mom when she shared family photos on Instagram to mark her kids’ return to school Sept. 6. “I’m so very proud of y’all for individually shining your light so that in return others feel the glow,” the pop star wrote alongside a carousel of fun shots of her with daughters Maxwell, 12, and Birdie, 5, and 11-yearold son Ace. “Y’all make your Mom beam with smiles and grace!”

Noticeably missing from the celebratory post was her husband of 10 years, former football pro Eric Johnson. Once a fixture on the 44-year-old star’s social media account, Eric, 45, hasn’t appeared on her page since last September. (The couple’s 10th wedding anniversary in July went publicly unacknowledged. Ouch.) Now sources tell Star Jessica and Eric have hit a rough patch and have been living separate lives as they contend with money problems and her increasing obsession with her appearance. “Jessica hasn’t been wearing her ring,” one source tells Star, “and there are rumors they are on a break.” That break could become permanent as friends speculate they’re headed for divorce. Says the source, “Their marriage seems to be hanging on by a thread.”