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Almost five years after their sudden wedding -- and consequent annulment just four months later -- country star Kenny Chesney is still talking about what went so wrong with his quickie marriage to Oscar winner Renee Zellweger.
On the annulment papers, the actress cited the mysterious term "fraud" as the reason for the couple's split, which sparked rampant rumors that the singer was gay. Chesney later denied the rumors, but both parties have largely remained quiet on what actually happened between them. But Friday on Oprah, the singer tried explaining what why their beach wedding in the Virgin Islands did not lead to a happy ending for the pair.
"I panicked," Chesney, 42, told Winfrey. "I look at my life as a box... So everything that I put in -- learn how to play guitar, put that in the box. The friends I made. I put that in the box, and my career grew. Everything around me -- all of the awards and all of the songs I wrote and all the success and everything -- I put in that box. That box built grew into this wonderful house. Okay? And you protect everything and all the relationships and all the people that helped you build that house. And this is the first time I've actually talked about it, but that's what happened. I protected that box."
When asked if the marriage to Zellweger was inside or out of the box, Chesney replied, "It was out of the box. Oh my God, but it's tough. It really is tough. And she's a sweet soul, no doubt about it, but I just wasn't ready."
All's well that ends well, we suppose -- Chesney is now dating Nashville nurse Amy Colley, while Zellweger is hot and heavy with Hangover star Bradley Cooper.
Chesney's new concert film Kenny Chesney: Summer in 3D hits theaters April 21.
PHOTOS: Celeb Quickie Weddings
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