US POP STAR COMES OUT

Singer and actor Lance Bass, a member of the popular former boy-band N Sync, which also included Justin Timberlake, JC Chasez, Joey Fatone and Chris Kirkpatrick, has confirmed media speculation and rumours by announcing that he is gay.

Bass comes out publicly in an interview with US People Magazine, in which he also reveals that he is in a “very stable” relationship with another celebrity: openly gay Reichen Lehmkuhl, who was one of the winners of the Amazing Race reality show.

Bass says that he kept his sexuality a secret so as not to impact on the popularity of the band. “I knew that I was in this popular band and I had four other guys’ careers in my hand, and I knew that if I ever acted on it or even said (that I was gay), it would overpower everything,” he says in the interview.

Bass is working on developing a new sitcom television series, with former band mate Fatone, in which he would play a gay character.

He went on to say that, “The thing is, I’m not ashamed – that’s the one thing I want to say,” adding, “I don’t think it’s wrong, I’m not devastated going through this. I’m more liberated and happy than I’ve been my whole life. I’m just happy.”