DAVID HYDE PIERCE - HYDE PIERCE COMES OUT

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.