‘He made that mistake because he needed help’: Rihanna breaks down as she opens up to Oprah about Chris Brown assault

Fans of Rihanna are eagerly awaiting her upcoming interview with Oprah Winfrey, in which the star will open up about her relationship with Chris Brown.

And what she has to say about her ex-boyfriend, who was convicted of assaulting her three years ago, in the prerecorded interview will come as a surprise to some.

The 24-year-old tells the host: ‘I felt like the only person they hate right now is him. It was a weird, confusing space to be in.

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Tearful: Rihanna breaks down as she discusses Chris Brown with Oprah Winfrey in an upcoming TV interview

Tears: Rihanna sobbed as she talked about the terrible night her boyfriend attacked her

‘Because as angry as I was – as angry and hurt and betrayed – I just felt like he made that mistake because he needed help. And who’s going to help him? Nobody’s going to say he needs help, everybody’s going to say he’s a monster, without looking at the source. And I was more concerned about him.’

Previously released preview clips of the upcoming TV special Oprah: The Next Chapter, showed Rihanna describe the fall-out from the horrific night after a pre-Grammy party.

She said: ‘It was embarrassing it was humiliating… I lost my best friend.’

So difficult: The singer was armed with a tissue as she started to open up about the infamous incidence

Surprising: Rihanna reveals her vulnerable side during the candid interview

Probing: Oprah Winfrey admits she was expecting something different from the singer

Oprah is then seen asking series of probing questions concerning Rihanna’s past and present relationship with Brown, including ‘Do you think Chris Brown is a true love for you?’ and ‘Where does your relationship stand today?’

While producers saved Rihanna’s answers for the actual episode, her replies managed to shock the talk show queen.

Oprah exclaims: ‘I would have never thought that. You just shocked me.’

In one of the promos ahead of the episode, Oprah, 58, reveals she had a pre-conceived idea of what to expect when she travelled to the singer’s home country of Barbados.

During the documentary, which was filmed on August 5, Rihanna went back to her childhood home in the island capital Bridgetown.

It still hurts: The ripples from the fall out still affect the singer today

Searing honesty: Rihanna really opened up to the estimable talk show guru

Hometown girl: Rihanna took Oprah to visit her former home in the Barbados capital Bridgetown for the TV special

Speaking to camera in the preview, Oprah said: ‘I went there with my own ideas about who she was from watching her videos and listening to her music.

‘I thought she was gonna be kind of a bada**, a kind of hard edged, rocker, pop woman. Nothing could have been farther from the truth.’

Over clips of the interview and footage of Rihanna driving Oprah to visit her old neighbourhood, Oprah said: ‘She was thoughtful… She was very emotional… She was vulnerable.’

In brief segments from the one-to-one on the sofa, Rihanna admitted: ‘I am super duper terrified of the pedestal that comes with fame…

Inconsolable: The singer let the floodgates open

‘It’s amazing how lonely you can feel’: The Battleship star opened up in the exclusive interview airing on Oprah: The Next Chapter on August 19

‘It’s amazing how lonely you can feel.’

As well as crying, Rihanna also burst into laughter when Oprah commented on her frequent use of the F-word.

Oprah also praised Rihanna for her skills behind the wheel: ‘First of all I’m surprised by what a good driver she is.’

Visiting her former home, Rihanna appears down-to-earth and humble as she chats to her old neighbours and embraces local children.

Humble: The singer chatted to her former neighbours when she returned to her childhood home

Still an island girl from Barbados: Despite her fame, the singer always has time for her fellow countrypeople

Teasing viewers to watch the interview, she said: ‘She pushes the edge a lot, and there’s a reason for that.’

Rihanna’s appearance on Oprah’s OWN channel comes three years after the talk show queen made a public appeal to the singer to leave her ex-boyfriend Chris Brown.

Oprah spoke out a month after Rihanna was assaulted by the R&B singer, amidst rumours at the time they were still together.

At the wheel: Rihanna took Oprah for a drive around the island

Impressed: Oprah praised Rihanna for her driving skills

The TV presenter said in 2009: ‘If a man hits you once, he will hit you again. He will hit you again. It makes me so sad. Love doesn’t hurt.

‘Both Chris Brown and Rihanna, if I were your friend, I would call you up and say give it some time. Get yourself some counseling. Take care of yourself. Heal yourself first.’

Winfrey is hoping the Rihanna special will help her struggling network continue its comeback.

Meanwhile, Radar Online.com are reporting that Chris wants Rihanna to stop talking about the incident.

They write: ‘Chris is just confused about Rihanna’s decision to bring up the past again and again — this time in an interview with Oprah.

‘Rihanna has previously given wide ranging interviews about the beating to Diane Sawyer and several print magazines. Chris just doesn’t think it’s productive or relevant to rehash the events.’

Friendly: Oprah shares a huge with Rihanna, who admitted she can get lonely

What’s so funny? Rihanna was in high spirits during a lot of the interview

It has has seen viewership increase by 25 per cent since the start of the year, though from a very low starting baseline.

Discovery have just revealed they expect the network to start making money at the end of 2013.

• The Rihanna interview will air on OWN on August 19.

Smiling again: Rihanna was bright and breezy at Narita Airport in Japan today

Normal life: Rihanna and Oprah quaff champagne in the kitchen with some of the singer’s relatives

Ex factor: Rihanna’s ex-boyfriend Chris Brown was spotted shopping in New York City last week