Former Frasier star David Hyde Pierce has revealed he is gay, after keeping his sexuality secret for decades. The actor, who played Dr. Niles Crane in the long-running sitcom, has always refused to talk about his personal life, despite rumours about his sexual orientation.

But the 48-year-old has allowed his longterm partner Brian Hargrove's name to be mentioned in an interview on CNN.com.

In a paragraph carefully buried in the article, the journalist writes, "Pierce got to Los Angeles in the early 1990s when his partner, actor-writer-producer Brian Hargrove, wanted to write for television."

Pierce's spokesperson has since confirmed Hargrove is the star's partner.

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(This news article provided by World Entertainment News Network)