Former The West Wing star Bradley Whitford and actress Jane Kaczmarek have filed for divorce.

Whitford and Kaczmarek, who appeared in Malcolm In The Middle as neurotic mother Lois, applied for legal separation in Los Angeles on Friday.

The pair married in August 1992 and have three children; Frances Genevieve, 12, nine year old George Edward, and Mary Louisa, six.

A spokesperson for Whitford tells People.com, "He hopes the media will respect their wish for privacy as they focus on their children."