Henson has not played rugby since injuring his ankle in March 2009, but it is no longer a fitness issue that is keeping the 'Strictly Come Dancing' star off the pitch.

His break-up from entertainer Charlotte Church has left Henson living away from his young children, while he also admits to being “embarrassed” by the way the situation has been publicly played out in the newspapers.

“I had heart-to-heart talks with the Ospreys, I opened my heart to them really, told them what had gone on, I told them for compassionate reasons, for my mental state of mind, I need to go somewhere for the season,” he told BBC Two’s Scrum TV in a special edition to be shown later today.

“I just felt a bit embarrassed to go back into the changing room with the boys, the Ospreys, they know me so well, they would be asking me personal questions and I wasn’t quite ready for that.

“I just wanted to have a season away. I love the Ospreys, I played with Swansea from 18 and naturally moved on to the Ospreys, that’s my region, that’s my club. I want to come back there, but now it’s in the hands of the solicitors and I didn’t want it to get there. It’s tough.”

Henson claimed it was only fair for him to be allowed to find a club while he was not being paid by the Ospreys, who he said would not miss him.

“I need to earn,” he said. “I need a fresh start. I look at the Ospreys and there are about 10 centres and we are all as good as each other so personally I don’t think they are going to miss me.

“I just want to play for Wales: I want to play in the six nations, I really believe I can play in this year’s Six Nations, and the World Cup.

“To me it’s not about money or anything.

“I feel I’ve got my hunger back, visualising in training about the game again and I feel like I’ll only need about one or two games to prove myself.”

However, Henson said he did not want to sever his ties with the Ospreys completely.

“I signed the contract,” he said. “Mike (Cuddy) has always stated I’ll come back and play for the Ospreys which I will in time. I don’t want to let anyone down, that’s the last thing.

“I just want what is best for me and my family.”

Henson, who was part of the Welsh Grand Slam winning teams in 2005 and 2008, as well as a 2005 British and Irish Lion, caused a stir earlier this month when he appeared as the face of a new marketing campaign for Wales, sporting the new jersey despite not having played for his country in over 18 months.

He admitted he might have been “naive” in accepting the offer to model the jersey.

“I was a bit naive there, maybe,” he said. “But I just got asked the question. They were asking ex-players and stuff and technically I may have been an ex-player, so I thought yeah, you know.

“There was no money involved or anything. They said the thing is good for grassroots rugby in Wales, so it was a chance to put on the Welsh jersey again and that was a nice feeling, putting that on.

“It was nice, it fitted well, but obviously when it’s on the side of the stadium and I haven’t played the game for like 18 months, then I can understand why people are annoyed.

“I didn’t mean to annoy people, I thought I might have been doing a good thing, but hopefully people will see me in a Welsh jersey in the Six Nations and then it might all make a bit of sense.”