'I've forgiven myself': Rielle Hunter says she broke up with the disgraced John Edwards only last year and still 'loves him' - but regrets hurting his terminally ill wife 

Rielle Hunter, the woman who had an illegitimate child with John Edwards, has said she has finally 'forgiven herself' for the affair that scandalized the country as she revealed that the pair only broke up last year.

Hunter's affair with then presidential candidate Edwards was believed to have ended back in 2012.

But speaking on the Steve Harvey show in her first televised interview in almost five years, Hunter, 51, says that the couple were actually still together up until February of last year.

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Rielle Hunter has finally forgiven herself for the affair with John Edwards that scandalized the country and turned a man who once seemed destined for the White House into a national pariah 

Hunter said that Edwards remains a committed father to their love child, Francis Quinn (pictured today aged seven) and that he gives her the 'love and support she deserves'

And despite the split, Hunter says that the pair 'still love each other'.

In the interview, she also admitted her 'selfish' behavior during the torrid love affair nine-years ago meant she never gave a second thought to Edwards' late wife, Elizabeth, but now understands how wrong she was and 'truly never meant to hurt anybody'.  

Hunter added that Edwards, now 62, remains a committed father to their love child, Francis Quinn and that he gives her the 'love and support she deserves'.

In a clip from the interview - shown on TooFab - with the full episode due to air later today, Hunter said that their relationship was not 'frivolous' and lasted for nine years and added that the pair 'were madly in love'.

But she did say that the whole affair was 'insane'. 

Hunter had received widespread disapproval for becoming involved with a married man whose wife was dying at the time. When she became pregnant, she initially claimed the father was Andrew Young, a married former staffer for the Edwards campaign.

It wasn't until 2010 - the same year that Elizabeth died aged 61 - that Edwards admitted he was the father of Francis. 

Hunter met married politician John Edwards in 2006 (above), when she pitched him the idea of becoming a videographer. He subsequently hired her for the campaign trail

Hunter fell pregnant with their daughter Francis in 2007 (she is pictured left with a visible bump in 2008) but it wasn't until 2010 that Edwards admitted paternity; pictured right is Rielle and daughter in 2012

While it was believed that Edwards and Hunter split in 2012 (they are pictured together in the same year), she said the couple have been together since last February

The funeral of wife Elizabeth, who died of cancer, was held in December 2010, at Edenton Street United Methodist church and was attended by hundreds. 

Edwards had four children with Elizabeth, Cate, Wade, Emma and Jack. Wade died aged 16 in 1996 when he was in a car accident in North Carolina. 

Hunter says she now realizes that the relationship with a married man was wrong and told Harvey that she 'never meant to hurt anyone' and added that this is why she went along with the original line that the baby belonged to Edwards' political aide and not him.

Hunter, who published a tell-all book about the affair in 2012 said: 'I am really sorry.

'I really truly did not mean to hurt anybody, and I wasn't thinking of anybody but myself. And I was absolutely wrong. Absolutely.' 

Hunter had received widespread disapproval for becoming involved with a married man whose wife (Elizabeth, pictured right in 2007) was dying at the time

Hunter says that he is now a committed dad and gives her the 'love and support she deserves' and added that they see each other 'all the time'.

She told Harvey that Francis, who is to celebrate her eighth birthday in a few days, is a very 'happy child' who 'sings all the time'.

She said they 'are a happy and loving family'.  

But one of Edwards' other daughters by his then wife Elizabeth has expressed her regret at her father's affair.

Cate spoke publicly for the first time last year about her father's extramarital affair that ruined both his presidential campaign and his marriage.

'I was devastated, and I was disappointed,' Cate told NBC.'s Savannah Guthrie. 'I guess he and my mom decided that that was, you know, how it needed to be done. So yeah, I was devastated. And I was disappointed. I mean, these are my parents. I had grown up with a lot of love in my family. And it was hard to see them go through this.' 

While it was believed the affair between Edwards and Hunter had ended in 2012, Hunter said the couple had been together since last February and added that she is 'almost ready' to move on. 

This revelation comes despite the fact Edwards was dating another woman in 2013, which Hunter was 'said to be devastated about'.

But in her interview with Harvey, Hunter insisted that the 'take away' from the whole affair is that they 'got out the other side' and are a 'happy and loving family'.

Hunter added that Edwards is now practicing law and that she is working on a documentary series.

She said that they have weathered the storm and that she has 'forgiven herself'. 

Hunter, who was born Lisa Jo Druck, married Alexander Hunter in 1991, becoming Lisa Jo Hunter. She then legally changed her name to Rielle Hunter in 1994. The novelist Jay McInerney says Hunter, his former girlfriend, is the basis for his character Alison Poole, who has featured in the books Story of My Life. Breat Easton Ellis, McInerney's friend, also included the character in his novels Glamorama and American Psycho.

A keen follower of astrology, she once told GQ magazine in 2010 that she did not believe Edwards should run for president when he announced his candidacy a year after they met in April 2007, because of her 'intuition. And my small knowledge of astrology'.

During testimony in 2012, Cheri Young, the wife of Andrew Young, revealed that Hunter often consulted Bob McGovern, a New Age spiritual adviser. In one particular incident she had to call him for help when she complained that a Reuben sandwich she ordered at a Colorado diner had the wrong sauce.