Barry Manilow has spoken about being gay for the first time, and about his relationship of 39 years with Garry Kief. He had worried that revealing his sexuality would disappoint fans.

After coming out, Manilow said he was overjoyed by the reaction. “I thought I would be disappointing them if they knew I was gay. So I never did anything. When they found out that Garry and I were together, they were so happy. The reaction was so beautiful – strangers commenting, ‘Great for you!’ I’m just so grateful for it,” he added.

Share your experiences

We want to hear from our readers who have, like Manilow, come out publicly later in life. Maybe you told your parents or friends after years of keeping it a secret, or perhaps you only admitted your sexuality to yourself when you got older. Tell us your stories.