Ty Herndon comes out as gay and reveals he has a partner of five years

By Iona Kirby for MailOnline

Published: 14:01 EST, 20 November 2014 | Updated: 15:18 EST, 20 November 2014

Ty Herndon has come out as gay.

The country star, 52, revealed he has had a partner for the past five years during an interview with Entertainment Tonight which airs on Thursday evening.

Ty said that he hid his sexuality because he did not believe he could succeed as a gay man in the industry.

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'I am an out, proud, and happy gay man': Ty Herndon, pictured in January at Sundance, has come out as gay

When asked by Nischelle Turner what the biggest lie he has told himself is, in reference to his hit song, the singer said: ‘That I couldn't be gay and be in country music.

‘I've dreamed about being in country music since I was six years old and it's my life, it’s what I do, it's who I am and I went to great lengths to cover up that fact to be a country star. And today I get to tell the world I am an out, proud, and happy gay man.’

The Living In A Moment hit-maker also gushed about his long-term partner.

‘I have an awesome relationship that I've been in for a good number of years. I love him very much and he loves me,’ he said.

Visit ET for the full interview.

Lies he told himself: The country star didn't believe that he could be successful as a gay man in the industry. He is pictured here in 2007 with Dolly Parton (R) and the late Dottie Rambo

And Ty is looking forward to the future with his partner, admitting he hopes they will get married one day. ‘I’m kind of hoping he asks me right after this interview, but we’ll see,’ he said.

Ty has been married twice before – to two women – and said they ‘absolutely’ kew about his sexuality.

The crooner said that ‘luckily’ he tied the knot with ‘some really amazing young ladies’.

Entertainment Tonight reports that he added: ‘I had a lot of people around me that I trusted at a time and I was like, “Hey, you know this about me but the world doesn't. So I'm gonna need to call on your services for a little while.”

‘It was unfortunate that I had to do that, but I felt that's what I had to do to have my career. Standing on some pretty solid legs today, so I get to tell my truth today.’

'Amazing young ladies': The now 52-year-old has two ex-wives, including Renee Posey (who he is pictured with in 1998), and says they 'absolutely' knew about his sexuality

Ty was first rumoured to be gay in 1995 when he was arrested for allegedly exposing himself to a male undercover police officer in a park.

And the candid star, who has been very open about his struggles with addiction, admits he can barely remember what happened – after he was also found in possession of methamphetamine.

‘I wish I had really great recall or memory about that,’ he said when asked if the allegations were true. ‘I think I had been up for like six days doing drugs – the night and the day was really a huge blur for me.’

Ty, who has been treated at a drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility twice, had found fame that same year, making his chart debut with What Mattered Most.

Happy relationship: Ty, seen here in 2011, has a partner of five years who he hopes to marry one day