Bob Harper, one of the personal trainers on NBC's reality series The Biggest Loser, has announced he's gay.

The 48-year-old Harper discussed his sexuality for the first time publicly in the course of helping a gay contestant on the show struggling to come out to his own father.

“I haven't talked about my sexuality on this show ever. I really do believe this is the right time. I want to show Bobby that he doesn't have to live in shame,” Harper told viewers.

“I'm gay,” Harper told Bobby, the contestant. “I knew a very long time ago that I was gay. When I came out, when I was 17 years old, it was one of those kind of things where I realized that there was going to be so many obstacles. But being gay doesn't mean that you are less than anybody else. It's just who you are.”

Harper thanked supporters in a tweet: “THANK YOU to everyone that supported my decision to talk about being gay w/Bobby. I felt like it was appropriate and necessary. LOVE Y'ALL!!”