Rihanna has revealed that she still loves her former boyfriend Chris Brown.

The pair were in a relationship until 2009 when Brown was convicted of assaulting the 'Talk That Talk' star.

In a candid interview with chat show queen Oprah Winfrey that aired in the US last night (August 19), Rihanna admitted that she still "loves" Chris Brown. She said:

"It's awkward because I still love him. My stomach drops and I have to maintain this poker face and not let it get to the outer part of me. I have to maintain it and suppress it. When you don't understand those feelings you can make a lot of mistakes."

Rihanna added that she and Brown have rebuilt their trust since splitting and, as a result, the duo have become close friends. The 'You Da One' singer said:

"We've been working on our friendship again and now we're very, very close friends. We built a trust again and that's it. We love each other and we probably always will."