Lena Dunham has confirmed her split with Jack Antonoff, but says their love is "eternal".

Lena Dunham

Lena Dunham

The 31-year-old actress left no room for doubt in her rumoured split from musician Jack - whom she had been dating for five years - when she took part in an Instagram livestream on Tuesday (09.01.18) and addressed the end of her romance.

During the livestream, Lena was spotted wearing a ring which Jack had given her, and told her followers she was continuing to wear the jewellery as a sign that the love between the pair hasn't just disappeared.

She said: "I'm wearing this ring that Jack gave me, and I'll always wear it because love is a really cool, powerful, eternal thing. It doesn't have to be defined the way that we, in Western culture, define it as beginnings and ends."

The 'Girls' creator then thanked her fans for their "support" during her break-up, which was first reported on Monday (08.01.18).

She added: "Things can be, 'You know what, you're a drop of water, and then you re-enter the ocean.' Anyway, I really love you all. I'm really thankful for the support. I'm really thankful for the love."

According to sources, Lena and Jack, 33, decided to "mutually" call time on their romance last month, after they first started dating in 2012.

An insider said: "It was mutual. Jack and Lena were growing apart and it just made sense for them to end their relationship where it was. They want the best for each other no matter what. They are both moving on."

Despite their lengthy relationship, the pair had never felt rushed to tie the knot, and Lena previously said she was pleased at the lack of pressure the couple had put on their relationship.

She said in February last year: "I am not against marriage in any way, but I do like the fact that Jack and I have placed zero pressure on ourselves about it. I have friends who have met someone, married them and got divorced during the period of time that Jack and I have been dating. We are as close as you can get to a pair of 100-year-old people. Every night we go home, walk our dogs, put them into their crates, take melatonin, watch 20 minutes of TV, then we go to sleep. It is the schedule of ancient, ancient people."