London: Hayden Panettiere, the star of the hit TV show "Heroes", has spoken out about her split from her ex-boyfriend Stephen Coletti saying she just wanted to be alone for some time.

Contactmusic.com quoted her as saying: "I just knew I wanted to breathe. I wanted to be single at the time. It just hit me like a tonne of bricks - this is the time I need to be with myself."

She confessed it wasn't easy being a girlfriend, adding: "It takes such a secure person to be with someone like me; it takes so much confidence and so much trust."

Panettiere is now dating her co-star Milo Ventimiglia and says she desperately needed some space at the time she split.