Music icon Patti Labelle takes full blame for the breakdown of her 27-year marriage to her former manager Armstead Edwards, insisting she was a "witch" who was "not easy to get a long with".

The When You Talk About Love star stunned fans in 2000 when she announced she had split from Edwards, but the singer confesses the break-up was a long time coming because she had been putting up a front and pretending that all was well in her private life for years.

However, LaBelle admits their friendship has only grown stronger since their divorce - and now she counts her ex-husband, the father of her son Zuri, as one of her best friends.

She tells pal Oprah Winfrey, "We live 10 minutes from each other now that we're divorced... I stayed some years (in the marriage) because of Zuri, but Armstead had never done anything awful to me... I just couldn't get along with anyone for 32 straight years; it was just that I was a witch sometimes, not easy to get along with... I pretended (that everything was fine) a lot so I was acting many years and Armstead's a straightforward man and I'm a wildchild, and I didn't want to be married anymore and nor did he, so it was mutual...

"(Now) when he's sick, I make sure he gets the right medicine... I now make sure he's Ok, and he comes around and makes sure I'm Ok when I have to have him take me someplace to something. (We're) best of friends now, very friendly."

LaBelle admits she's happier than ever before, but she has no intention of following her pal Tina Turner down the aisle again.

She says, "Congratulations Tina darling, but Patti's not gonna go there (get married). Ever again. Ever. Never. Why would I at 69? Well she's 73 but I don't want that."