AceShowbiz -

Bob Harper openly talked about his sexual orientation on his show "The Biggest Loser" for the first time. The trainer, 48, hoped his confession could inspire others, especially contestant Bobby Saleem, to come out to his father.

"I haven't talked about my sexuality on this show ever. And now, meeting Bobby, I really do believe this is the right time," he said. "I want to show Bobby that he doesn't have to live in shame."

"I'm gay. I knew a very long time ago that I was gay," he went on. "I think that when I came out, when I was 17 years old, it was one of those kind of things where I realized there were so many obstacles. But being gay doesn't mean being weak. Being gay doesn't mean that you are less than anybody else. It's just who you are."

Saleem was having trouble telling his father that he's gay due to his "very strict Catholic background." He explained, "Homosexuality, in a sense, was wrong, so I kind of hid it. It's just something I've kind of kept from my parents, or at least my dad. I always felt like there was something wrong with me."

Supports were flooding on Twitter after the show. "THANK YOU to everyone who supported my decision to talk about being gay w/Bobby," Harper tweeted. "I felt like it was appropriate and necessary. LOVE Y'ALL!!"

Saleem, who promised to have a talk with his father soon, wrote, "Thank you @MyTrainerBob for the words that have changed the path of my life."