Rachel Hunter opens up about her love life

Rachel Hunter on TVNZ's Sunday. Photo / Sunday

Rachel Hunter says she hated hurting her famous ex-husband Rod Stewart, who she left after nine years of marriage.

The former model was on TVNZ's Sunday programme to promote her new documentary series Rachel's Tour of Beauty, in which she travels around the world looking at what beauty means in different cultures.

But her personal life was also a hot topic.

She said she had not read Stewart's autobiography, in which she was mentioned in detail, but said confidently: "He wouldn't have anything bad to say, I would hope he didn't..."

When pushed further about their famous marriage and then split, she said with a laugh: "You're killing me with these Rod questions".

"It was just one of those things that I just...I wanted to find out - Who was I?

"I was 21, I had two children by the time I was 23 - it was that decision that I made, I don't know why I made it, that's where I am today.

"It was just the way it went and do I hate hurting somebody like that? Absolutely. It was hard and...he's said it many times - he understands."

When asked if she was just too young, she replied: "Yeah", but quickly went on to say that she would never change anything she did in her 20s.

She was more open when talking about an anecdote of the two getting dressed formally and meeting on the stairs to go down for dinner.

"You know sometimes it would be nice to have a poached egg in bed, but you've got to love someone who lives in the world of elegance - I mean you've got to love that."

Hunter also talked briefly about her more recent high-profile relationship with Canadian ice hockey player Jarret Stoll.

The NHL center, 14 years younger than Hunter, proposed to her in 2008 but six weeks before the wedding called it off.

She played this down.

"He's a great guy...look it's the best thing that ever happened. He was very brave in saying what he thought was the right thing to do.

"Fourteen years difference, I mean what was I thinking? Like, who's the stupid one here? Me..."